Dropkick Symphony
by Howlitzer
Summary: Sonic and friends try to grab hold of an uncertain future, changing themselves and the world as they know it. Through time and space, Eggman's schemes, and alien invasions, the heroes of Earth go to their limits and beyond. It's time for everyone to face the music.
1. Search

"Don't you worry, Amy. I'll get us out of here, promise. Just need to think something up, first."

Sonic was kneeling on the ground, with Amy cradled in his arms. He was sporting all manner of cuts on his body, mostly on his arms and legs, with one on the side of his face. Blood was dripping down onto the street below.

"Need a plan…think." His current opponent was his most dangerous yet. Whatever Eggman had done to this one, it was pretty impressive, he had to admit.

This Metal Knuckles was something else.

"Sonic…you're hurt…"

"Ah, don't worry about me. I'm good to go."

"You can't keep pushing yourself…"

"Didn't think I had a say," he said with a smirk.

The crimson robot was currently staring them down, probably waiting for the next move. It was good and bad at the same time.

_I keep saying I'm fine, but I don't think I have enough juice to keep running around…or take anymore hits from this guy. _

Amy looked up at her hero miserably. He was lying through his teeth, she knew.

"This is my fault…" she whispered.

"You can't blame yourself, Amy. You got surprised, just like I did."

"But I'm…I can't even help you right now. I'm just dead weight."

"Don't say that, it's fine. I'm gonna protect you."

_Protect me…like you always have. And you'll get yourself hurt in the process…like you always have._

She hadn't thought about it before, but seeing all of this made her realize where she stood. Almost every time there was something to done, or a battle to fight, she was rarely part of it, or getting rescued, or getting in the way…even though she wanted to be able to do something, she was a hindrance instead of a help.

There were those times that she could play a role, but…compared to all the other times…

"Okay, hold tight. I'm blowing by this guy!"

Sonic's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

"It's gonna take a lot out of me, but here goes nothing!" He pulled her closer and charged forward, straight at Metal Knuckles.

The robot activated its jet engine in response, tearing towards Sonic and Amy at an incredible speed.

Sonic pushed himself faster as his opponent neared.

_Almost there. Come on…_

Metal Knuckles put his arm forward, diamond-edged claws ready to strike at any moment.

Amy buried her face in Sonic's chest and clutched him tightly.

Sonic waited until he was a yard away from Metal Knuckles, and then used a crossover step to try to get by his right. The robot read the move and used a lateral thrust to counter, stabbing forward.

"Go!"

Sonic's sneakers flashed a pure white as he stepped hard with one leg. He disappeared in a trail of light as he rushed laterally to his left, then shot forward once more, leaving Metal Knuckles behind. The robot's claws were coated in crimson.

He stopped far outside of the city, falling to one knee again as he breathed heavily.

"You okay, Amy?"

"…I'm…I'm fine."

"That's good…" He set her down gently.

"You're hurt…"

"It'll heal, don't worry about it. You're safe, so that's all that matters," he said with his usual grin. "This is my job, right? Heroes have to do these things, and friends have to help each other out when they're in trouble."

"Protecting the weak and innocent, right?" she said bitterly.

"Well, mostly. Even strong people need help, though."

_But I'm not strong at all…I always thought I could take care of myself. How stupid could I have been? I'm not strong at all._

Amy looked bleakly at her friend, taking note of the large gash that went right through his shoulder. There was blood streaming down from it still.

She tore off a piece of her dress and used it to wrap around the wound as best she could.

"Thanks, Amy."

"Yeah…"

He kept getting hurt protecting her. Just like on ARK…she shuddered at the memory of seeing him blown up in that tube, while she could only sit there and watch, powerless to do anything.

It hurt.

"Come on, I'll take you over to Tails' place. We should be able to rest up there."

"Sure…" she said inattentively.

"Hey, you feeling okay, Amy?" He looked her over with concern.

"I'm fine. Thanks for saving me, Sonic."

"Don't worry about it, you'd do the same for me any day!"

"…As if I could," she said under her breath.

"Hm?"

"…Nothing. It's nothing."

"If you need to talk, I'm all ears, Amy."

"Thanks…but it's probably not something you could understand."

"Well, I dunno about that. It'd help if I knew what the problem was. Even then, I could help you find someone who could help you out, you know?"

"Maybe. I just don't want to talk about it right now."

He shrugged. "If that's what you want, Amy. But I've never seen you like this, so I'm worried."

"I'll be fine."

"…If you say so," he said doubtfully.

* * *

It was a few months after that time.

"You mean you haven't seen her around, either? Maybe she went on vacation or something."

"But she wouldn't do that without letting the whole world know about it first. This isn't like her at all."

Sonic was currently at his friend's workshop outside of Station Square, near the Mystic Ruins. Miles Prower, known to everyone as Tails, had been working on an aircraft engine when Sonic dropped in. He had been out looking for Amy Rose for the past few weeks, but he hadn't had any luck with that.

"Maybe she's shacked up somewhere else?"

"Even if that were the case, this isn't like her," the twin-tailed fox said. "I haven't gotten a call or an e-mail or anything."

"She might be spooked by something, then."

"Spooked? By what?"

"Dunno," the blue hedgehog said, scratching his head. "But she looked like she was out of it the last time we spoke."

"Out of it? How do you mean?" Tails said, motioning for Sonic to pass him a wrench.

"Well, she was talking under her breath and looking distracted. And when she did speak up, she…well, she sounded pretty depressing, to be honest," he said, tossing the wrench over to his friend.

"Any phrases come to mind?"

"Stuff like, 'it's my fault' and 'I don't wanna talk about it'…really unlike her, y'know?"

"You're right, it doesn't sound much like her. Hm."

"I've gotta find her and snap her out of that funk. By the way, any movement on Eggman recently?"

"Not much, and anything that happens keeps getting intercepted."

"By Shadow, no doubt."

"Probably. Wonder what's going on, though?"

"Whatever it is, we've gotta be ready. I think the stakes are up this time. I'm gonna make another stop, so I'll see you later, I guess."

"Where to, Sonic? I think I should come with you."

"That's cool. I was about to stop over at Cream's place, maybe she knows something."

"I'll call in first. Vanilla and Cream have been on a trip for the past while."

"Oh, I see. Maybe Amy went with?"

"It's a possibility…"

* * *

The two reached a small house just on the edge of Station Square, belonging to Vanilla and Cream the Rabbit. Tails gave a few solid knocks before the door opened.

"Mister Sonic! Tails! It's nice to see you!" Cream said, giving them a bow before giving them each a hug.

"Chao!"

"Cheese is happy to see you, too!" she said, referring to her Chao friend.

"Nice to see you, Sonic. You too, Tails," Vanilla said as she reached the door. "Come on in, won't you?"

"Sure, why not?" Sonic said as he and Tails stepped inside.

"Something to drink?"

"I'm fine," Tails said.

"Me too, I'm good," Sonic replied. "You guys were on a trip, I heard?"

"Yes, we went to France for about a month. It was wonderful."

"Magnifique!" Cream chimed in. "We got to see so many things, it was so cool!"

"Was it just you two? I mean, besides Cheese, of course."

"Yes, it was," Vanilla said. "Actually, there was something Cream and I were wondering…"

"…You mean about Amy."

"Is that why you're here?"

"Yeah. Tails and I thought that maybe she joined up with you guys on that trip, or something like that."

"But she'd be sure to tell you something like that, right? At the very least, she'd try to drag you along, Sonic, especially to Paris."

"City of Love, right?" Tails pointed out.

"Yes…it's a very romantic place, to be sure."

"Then that just makes this all so much weirder…I can't find her anywhere. Nobody can."

"Um, Mister Sonic…do you think that maybe that mean Eggman has her?" Cream asked.

"I thought about that…the thing is that Eggman would have come out and taunted me with that sort of info already. No, it's something else. Just what, I don't know."

There was a ringing sound just then, coming from Tails' communicator on his wrist.

"Who could this be…Rouge?"

"Wonder what she wants," Sonic remarked. "Maybe we could ask her about Amy, too."

"Hey there, sweetie. Got some news for you."

"Okay, I'm listening."

"Well, your girl Amy Rose has been getting around lately. Last time I saw her she was storming one of Eggman's bases with Shadow…after that, nothing. Disappeared, like a ghost."

"Amy was with Shadow? Let's go, then!" Sonic said.

"Rouge, you're absolutely sure about that?"

"I'm positive. Haven't had a chance to talk to Shadow lately, but he's been chasing Eggman around for a while now, so it's possible that he has some info on the subject."

"We can probably catch up to him if we find out where Eggman is," Tails concluded. "Thank you so much, Rouge. You've been a big help."

"Anytime, sugar. Catch you later."

Sonic was already making his way out as the call ended. "Okay, let's roll! If we can catch up to Shadow, maybe we could find out where Amy was last!"

"Right!" Tails replied.

"Wait, wait! I want to come, too!" Cream insisted.

"Cream, it might be-" Sonic stopped himself mid-sentence. Dangerous? Yeah, right. How many times had this little girl helped save the world already? She was plenty capable as she was. That, and she was really close to Amy, much like they were sisters.

Looking at it, it mirrored his own relationship with Tails…and he wouldn't like to be left out of a mission to look for his best pal if he had the chance.

"You've gotta make sure Mom's okay with it first," he said, looking back at Vanilla.

She smiled and nodded. "It's fine. I know that you'll be in good hands, Cream. Good luck on finding Amy."

"Thanks, Mom!" Cream ran up and hugged her mother. "You too, Mister Sonic! I promise to do my best! Cheese as well!"

"Chao!"

"I've got no doubts! Let's rock and roll!"

Sonic, Tails and Cream left the house, and after making sure Cream was secure in his arms, Sonic sped off back towards the workshop, with Tails not far behind.

Vanilla watched as a cloud of dust rose up from where they once stood.

"Good luck…"

* * *

The guardian of the Chaos Emeralds, Knuckles the Echidna, was currently watching something odd. Out of the sky had come what looked like shooting stars.

The thing was, they weren't shooting stars. They were ships.

Ships with many, many guns on them. Big ones.

"Aliens…? Wouldn't be the first time. But who would be interested in Earth all of a sudden?"

Suddenly, a smaller ship landed in front of the Emerald Shrine as he looked on. It was sleek and looked like something that would carry royalty in it…something like an intergalactic limousine, since it had the rough shape of one.

The driver…or pilot, Knuckles figured, stepped out first and opened the rear doors. They slid down like windowpanes as a hovering platform appeared in front of the opening.

"If I didn't know better…" The driver looked like a human being, just that he had an odd blue line going across his face, just under the eyes and across the bridge of the nose.

The person…or alien to step out next looked like a princess of some sort. She was wearing a white sleeveless dress with gloves, and had on heels that were made of crystal. Her blonde hair ran down past her shoulders and rested behind her. She had the same marking across her face as the driver, and her eyes were a deep orange…she looked identical to a human as well.

"Good morning."

She spoke in English, Knuckles noted. It wasn't telepathy, either. Pretty strange for an alien.

"Morning. What brings you to this island, ma'am?"

"I am Crown Princess Reina, of the planet Gloriole. I have come to you in a diplomatic function, as this is the first point on Earth we have observed."

"Well, Princess…I'm not much of a diplomat myself."

"I see. Nonetheless, I would like to make a request."

"Request?"

"Yes…" Her orange eyes gave off a soft glow. "For your planet's unconditional surrender."


	2. Message

"Think we're gonna find her anytime soon?"

"Who knows…there's so much ground to cover, where do we start?"

Sonic, Tails, and Cream were currently in the Tornado, one of Tails' biplanes. They had been flying above Emerald Coast earlier looking for anything pointing them towards Amy or Shadow.

"Wow…shooting stars…" Cream gasped.

Sonic looked upwards, but didn't see shooting stars with his eyes. Instead…

"Tails."

"Got it."

Without hesitation, Tails pulled back on the flight stick so that the plane would start to climb. He pressed a few buttons, and two jet engines emerged from the sides of the aircraft.

"Hold tight, you guys."

The propeller stopped as the engines kicked in, and they rose higher into the sky. Their destination was the mysterious floating landmass, Angel Island.

In the meantime, on the beaches of Emerald Coast, a lone figure walked. After months on end of relentless travelling and exploring, she had come home again.

Her shoes were scuffed and cut up in various places, and her dress was torn and stained with dirt. The gloves that she wore were worn to shreds, and her limbs were covered in cuts and bruises from top to bottom.

The glitter that had been in her eyes months before was now a dull light.

With only a backpack slung over her shoulders, she had left everything she had known behind for a while. What she wanted to do, more than anything, was get as strong as she possibly could. If she wanted to be of use, she had to do at least that, she thought.

Slowing everyone else down wasn't an option anymore.

* * *

"A few more and we're through."

The members of Team Dark were off attacking one of Eggman's remote bases in the desert. They had managed to force their way through to the core of the base and were prepared to destroy it along with the entire robot assembly line.

"I'll cover," Shadow said. He stretched out both of his arms at the swarms of machines closing in.

"Chaos Control."

Immediately, everything came to a halt. The area Shadow had focused on was now frozen in time for as long as he had the strength to do so.

"That's always been a useful little trick, hasn't it?" Rouge said as she hacked into a nearby computer.

"I suppose. Anyone with the willpower can do it…doing it with any competency is another story."

"I see. Well, I'm done here. You ready, Omega?"

E-123 Omega responded promptly as usual. "Affirmative, Rouge. Commencing destruction of facilities."

"Shall we?" Rouge held one of her hands towards Shadow.

"Yeah." He took hold of her, and they disappeared in a flash of light. Omega stayed behind as he transformed his arms into laser cannons and fired away.

The two appeared in another burst of light a good distance away from the base, watching the explosions rising up from the area.

"I suppose our work is done for now," Shadow said. He started to turn away, but felt a hand on his shoulder.

"What-"

Something wasn't right. Time…was slowing?

"No you don't…Chaos Control!"

The air around him shattered like broken glass, and he saw Rouge lying on the ground, shaking. He got closer, and…

"Dammit…"

There was a gaping hole in her chest, blood flowing everywhere. She was deliberately breathing slowly, with her eyes closed.

"Shadow…take care of it…"

"Let me fix this," he said kneeling into the sand.

"You've…got no time. I'll be fine for a few…go…"

He nodded reluctantly. "Don't die on me."

"I'll do my best, sugar," she said with a weak smile.

Shadow stood up and closed his eyes, focusing. He could find whoever it was quickly enough…they wouldn't escape.

His eyes snapped open. "Found you, robot." He shot off through the sand, coming to a stop in front of his fast-moving target. They decided to stop as well, a good distance away.

"So…you've learned a new trick since the last time we met."

"Naturally. I know all of your moves, Project Shadow."

"You say that now…but I know that I have a few more things I can add to your list, Metal Sonic. I guess you might be a bit upset after losing to all of us recently, no?"

The robot gave what seemed to be a glare from his red eyes. "You think that matters now?"

"It should. Because if you can't even beat Sonic, you don't have a chance against me. And you've had years and years to finish him off. You'd better watch yourself…I'm in a different league. Take for instance…Chaos Control. Now, when it comes to that sort of thing, I may not be the latest…"

He stretched a hand towards Metal Sonic.

"…But I'm definitely the greatest."

"Is that so? Why don't you try it!"

"I've actually got very little time today, but I suppose a demonstration wouldn't hurt. I'll start…about five seconds ago."

"?" Metal Sonic suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head and saw Shadow standing beside him.

"Couldn't keep up? Too bad, maybe next time. It'll give you a chance to study up on me some more. Later…"

Shadow released his hand from the robot's shoulder, and he disappeared in a flash of light.

"Easy does it…" He concentrated as he disappeared himself, and appeared right beside Rouge, where he had been before. The explosions were slowing to a halt.

"Omega's almost done. I'm here, Rouge."

She barely managed to nod her head. Her breathing was becoming weak and irregular…now was a good time to do it before she was lost.

Shadow put his hand over the wound and closed his eyes. He opened them not a moment later, and removed his hand from where it was before.

The wound, and all signs of it, were completely erased. Rouge's breathing was back to normal, and she let out a warm sigh as proof of it.

"I owe you, Shadow."

"You don't owe me anything."

"…Come on, I have to give you something. A kiss, a night on the town…something a little more romantic, perhaps?"

"None of those things…leave me alone already…"

"You're too serious about things, Shadow. Loosen up a bit!"

"…I'd rather not."

"…Shadow."

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I think there's something going on with Eggman lately. No way should he have gotten us like that. It's too damn suspicious, after we've been wrecking his bases constantly before this…speaking of that, Amy Rose."

"What about her?"

"You're the last person who had contact with her, since you waltzed out and destroyed a base together a while back."

"Together? Well, if you mean with me supervising, yeah."

"What?"

"She did the whole thing pretty much by herself…I just added the finishing touch."

"By herself? Amy?"

"Yeah. She acted like she was possessed…smashing everything she laid eyes on with that hammer of hers, at least at first. She lost a handle on it a few times, but she resorted to punching and kicking those hunks of metal until they broke. Hell, I think she used her teeth a few times, too."

"That Amy? That Amy Rose?"

"The same."

"Where…where was she headed?"

"She wouldn't tell me, and she threatened to kill me if I tried to stop her." He laughed. "As if she could."

"So you let her go?"

"Why not? She wanted to go and get stronger, so I let her. Easy enough."

"But you said-"

"I said she didn't tell me where she was headed. I didn't say I hadn't figured out what she was trying to do. I took one look at her when she found me in front of the base, and that told me all that I needed to know."

"I see. Well, Sonic and Tails are looking for her right now, so…"

Her communicator started beeping just then.

"Hm. Probably the President or something…" She answered. "Agent Rouge speaking."

"Rouge? Thank goodness, we got you! Listen, we need a big favour…"

"Ah, Tails. I've got it, anything for you, cutie. What'll it be today?"

"Well, we've got an invasion on our hands. I'd like it if the President was alerted."

"Invasion?" she repeated, confused. "Like aliens or something?"

"Uh…yeah. Definitely aliens. They mean business, too."

"What kind of business, kiddo?"

"Like…'take us to your leader or we'll destroy Angel Island' business."

"Oddly specific."

"It helps that their Princess is here. Oh yeah, we have five hours to surrender or they're kind of going to take over the world."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"…Sweetie? Let me get back to you in a few moments…"

* * *

Crown Princess Reina was sitting on the steps of the Emerald Shrine, along with Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Cream. And Cheese, of course.

"So you know someone in the government," the princess asked.

"Yeah. She's been a good friend of ours," Tails responded.

"More like a good friend of _yours_, Tails," Sonic quipped.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means she likes 'em young," Knuckles joked.

"You guys! That's totally wrong!"

"Um…what are you guys talking about?" Cream said innocently.

"You'll understand when you're older," Reina replied. "For now, you don't really need to know."

"Okay!"

"You know, you're surprisingly nice for an invading force," Tails said.

"It's my dad that forced this job onto me…I wouldn't be here if I didn't have to be. Wish I could have brought my music with me, at least…"

"You sound like a pretty average girl…or princess," Knuckles said. "What's the whole deal with this invasion thing, anyways?"

"Well, my dad heard about the Chaos Emeralds from the whole Black Arms thing that happened here on Earth…that and he just loves conquering and expanding the empire and such. Not that I care. This planet's gonna end up like the others, no matter what happens…whether you fight or give up straight away, you'll be crushed."

"Don't be so sure about that," Sonic said. "We've pulled out some tough wins before."

"We've already taken down strong armies…you think you guys are going to make a difference?"

"Think? Nah, we _know_. Whoever your dad is, he just walked into the toughest battle he'll ever fight. Count on it."

"Got another call from Rouge!" Tails said.

"Hey there. Um, about the unconditional surrender? Not happening. Though he'd love to have some further diplomatic discussion with…whoever it is handles diplomacy for those guys."

"Well, she's here. I guess she'll be making her way over, then."

"Okay, good. Oh, and it's the whole 'we shall not tire, we shall not falter, we shall not fail' thing, you know? Might as well get yourselves geared up for that. And about Amy…"

"You found her?"

"No…but I found out why she went AWOL. She wanted to go and train or something, so she could get stronger. Why, I don't know."

"Get stronger? That's not like her at all…"

"Yeah, I know. Anyways, I'll keep in touch. Ciao!"

The call ended. "So…"

Reina dusted herself off as she got up. "I heard it all. Hope you find your friend…it'd be nice if you were together before you all got captured and stuff. You know, sentimentality and all of that. Oh, one more thing…"

She snapped her fingers, and a ship moved over the Emerald Shrine. Within moments, the area in front of them was filled with men and women in full battle armour, ready to fight at a moment's notice.

"I'll give you a test run. We'll see each other again, if you make it out."

"Right on! Catch ya later, Princess!" Sonic said with a grin.

Reina smiled as she got into her small ship. _I see…I wonder if this time might be different._

She took off for a meeting with the President, leaving the four heroes to sort things out.

"Mister Sonic? Can I stay out of this?" Cream asked.

"Yeah, for sure. We'll keep you safe, okay?"

"Okay," she said gratefully.

"Guess it's time to get to work," Knuckles said with a yawn.

"We should take it easy and try to figure them out first," Tails said.

"Yeah, yeah…we'll get to that eventually. For now, though…"

He pointed down at the unit boldly.

"Let's show 'em Sonic speed!"


	3. Construction

She saw them, in the sky.

Was she really going crazy?

No. This was real. This was very, very real.

She forced her frail body out of her bed and connected her laptop to her desktop drive. The system hummed as it came on, and within a moment, her fingers were flying across the keyboard, inputting commands of all sorts.

"Sick of this…sick of all of this. I'm going to leave…and start something new."

Her once bright red hair rested on her shoulders, having turned partially white from the medications she was forced to take. Mental disorders, they said. Hallucinations, they said. Manias, they said.

Really? All of that had started _after _she was forced onto the drugs. She was weak, tired, and broken. She was supposed to be a 'good girl'; she was supposed to be submissive and respectful.

No more. No more of this garbage.

She found the bottles of pills she had been prescribed, opened her window, and threw them outside.

"My new life…starts now."

A month ago, the girl known as Ellen Pearson had been reborn.

* * *

"Dude, that's not cool."

"What? What'd I do?"

"You totally hogged it all to yourself."

"I didn't expect them to drop like that, man!"

"Why'd you use that move, then?"

"I hadn't used it in a month. I was rusty, so I held back on it."

"…Well, if you put it like that, I guess."

"Just saying, it wasn't my fault it went down like that."

Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, and Cream were out in front of the Emerald Shrine on Angel Island. In front of them were several companies of soldiers, all knocked out at roughly the same time.

As the fight had started, Knuckles opted to open up with one of his special moves, the Maximum Heat Knuckle Attack. Within moments, an explosion of fiery afterimages filled the battlefield, and Knuckles returned to his original position barely winded.

"Aw, dude…"

That was about five minutes ago.

Tails poked at one of them with a nearby stick. "At least they're not dead."

"That was lame, man. Just one move, and bam! Finished. What kind of intergalactic conquerors are these guys?" Sonic wondered aloud.

"Probably just the scrubs. They may have been enough to take out other planets on the first drop, maybe," Knuckles responded. "Just not ours. Maybe she knew?"

"She _did_ mention this being a test run. Her dad's probably super strong, I guess."

"Mister Sonic? Will we have to do more fighting?" Cream asked.

"Looks like it, Cream. You don't have to do anything if you don't want to, you know."

She shook her head. "If I have to fight to find Amy, then I'll definitely do it!"

"That's the way. We'll be right with you, then."

"What are we gonna do now, Sonic? Those other ships have gone past us by now," Tails said.

"Hmm…let's go and find a certain someone."

"Who?"

"Eggman."

"What? Why Eggman?"

"We might be able to strike a deal with him, since I figure that he knows about this as well. Shadow too, if we find him, though Rouge may have already roped him into this."

"Good thinking, Sonic," Knuckles said while nodding. "I guess we should start heading off now."

Sonic looked around at the unconscious figures. "Yeah…looks like we're done here. But next time, I get dibs, dude."

"No objections here."

* * *

"I suppose it was pointless even asking for surrender, wasn't it?"

"Naturally. Do you really take us for pushovers, madam?"

Reina was currently talking to the President in his office, surrounded by several armed guards, various news personnel, and government officials.

"To be honest, I did at first. I happened to meet with a few individuals who changed my mind, however. That's when I figured we shouldn't have tried to talk you out of fighting…it was inevitable, wasn't it?"

"We don't have to fight, really. Just tell us what you want and maybe…I don't know, we could strike up a deal or something."

"My father wants this planet in its entirety. There isn't much to negotiate unless you're planning to move the residents of this planet somewhere else in exchange for it."

"Something like that is out of the question."

"I thought as much," Reina said with a sigh. "I guess we're about done, so I can tell you what your decision implies before we go past the point of no return."

"Fine. Go ahead."

"Very well. The invasion begins in five hours from the time I leave this room. You will not be able to surrender from that point onward. Your people will be captured once they are found, and they will serve us from this day onward. We will destroy your armies. We will kill anyone who resists us. We will destroy your landmarks, your national treasures, your homes, and places of work. We will take your cities for our own. We will become your leaders. We will determine what is and isn't lawful. You will eat what we tell you to, when we tell you to. You will learn only what we teach. You will speak only when spoken to. Do you understand all of this, Mister President?"

"You're going to make us your slaves."

"No…we will not become your masters," she said, her eyes giving off a cold intensity.

"We will become your **gods**."

* * *

"Boys…you don't have much time to work with. If you're going to do something, you have to do it on the double."

"What do you mean, Rouge? Isn't that meeting still going on?"

Rouge had stepped out and placed a call to Sonic on his communicator. Things didn't appear to be going so well…

"Yes, but the President isn't budging and Reina's getting serious. They're talking terms right now, and it looks like it'll be really ugly."

"You can't stall?"

"If I had another level of clearance or someone I could call for a favour right now…I'm as stuck as you are, sugar."

"Darn."

"You said you were going to go talk to Eggman?"

"Yeah."

"Well, just a heads up…he might be just a _little_ pissed off right now."

"…Another base?"

"Another base."

"Huh. Just our luck. But I'll try my hand anyways. Thanks, Rouge."

"Any time."

"Oh, hey. Got another question for you."

"Shoot."

"How far _does_ your clearance go?"

"Well, that all depends," she said playfully. "What's your pleasure?"

* * *

"You're a bit late, but that's quite alright. I know that you're tired."

"Are they done?"

"Indeed they are."

A young woman with red hair handed a pack over to Amy Rose. She unzipped the pack and looked inside, staring at the contents for a few moments before nodding softly.

"Thank you."

"No need for that…we're like sisters now, aren't we? Going all in, 'till the end…but that won't be for a while. You saw it, right? They're coming…"

"Yes, I saw it."

"This is your chance to show everyone what you're all about. In order to use those items, you had to get as strong as you could. Now you can do that for sure…think you're ready?"

Amy closed her eyes for a moment, thinking on that. Was she really ready?

No…she had to be now. She just had to be ready.

"I am…"

"Then let's do this. In order to achieve all of our goals, we'll have to get into Eggman's base back on West Side Island…one of them, at least," Ellen Pearson said, adjusting her wire-frame glasses.

"West Side Island…that's where Tails used to live. Sonic said that Eggman first launched the Death Egg from that location."

"Right. There's a place still on that island, as a result of his rapid industrialization of the area, called the Oil Ocean. Also, the remnants of the Wing Fortress should be in the ocean nearby. We need to search both of those places."

"I see."

"I can get us a plane easily enough. After that, there's another place…and I'll need your help with that as well. I'll make Eggman's past come back to haunt him…"

Although she didn't fully understand Ellen's ambitions, Amy nodded her head in response. Whatever was going to happen, she had to be strong. There couldn't be any room for error this time.

* * *

Sonic sat on the wings of the Tornado, along with Knuckles as Cream sat in the back seat with Tails at the controls. The four had decided to resume their search for Amy before anything else, if only for a little while before seeking out Eggman.

"Wonder where she could be…you think she left the mainland, Sonic?"

"I dunno. It's a possibility, but I don't think so, really. What's so important that could be out there for her?"

Knuckles looked over at Sonic. "You know, that sounded kind of…"

"Yeah. I know, but I don't mean it that way. Amy's a strong girl, but she has her habits. I don't believe that this is one of them."

"You're right in that sense. You think she's hurt, or something?"

"Maybe…too many variables for me to know for sure…"

The echidna gave the hedgehog another odd look while he was wrapped up in thought. Sonic didn't usually talk like that. Too many variables? He wasn't one to care about variables…if it was possible, he'd try it. And if it was impossible, he'd try anyways. It looked like he was getting more and more worried by the second, and that was also strange for someone with such a carefree attitude.

However, he didn't try to pry at the issue. Not at this moment, anyways…

"You think that we should check the coast again?" Tails asked.

"Nah…let's just head back to Station Square for now. We need to think of a few things before we go back out again."

"Alright. Just let me lock in the co-ordinates…hold on a moment. Something's not right."

"There something wrong, Tails?"

"Yeah. I've got some movement towards West Side Island. There are a couple of objects, actually."

"You think it's some people going in there to clean up the place some more?"

"I doubt it. All in all, it looks really suspicious."

Sonic pondered the thought for a moment. "…If you're right, then-"

"Tails? You there, kiddo?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Is that you, Rouge?"

"Yeah, it's me! One of G.U.N's bases is being hit hard by Eggman right now!"

"You want us to spare a hand?"

"It would be much appreciated!"

"Where're Shadow and Omega?"

"Shadow said he wanted to investigate something on an island…West Side, I think. Omega's holding the fort right now with me."

"Alright, we should be on our way!"

"Thanks a bunch…!"

"Sonic, looks like we're going over to G.U.N's 13th Western Base."

"You guys'll have to make do without me this time," he said while standing up.

"What? Why's that?" Knuckles asked.

"I've got business to take care of on West Side Island."

"What kind of business?"

"I'll figure that out when I get there."

"It'll take too much time to get over there and back," Tails said.

"That won't be a problem. I'll see you guys later…"

"Wait…Sonic, don't!"

Knuckles' warning came too late as Sonic leaned backwards and fell off of the Tornado's wings.

"Dammit! What the hell's he doing?"

"I'm sure Mister Sonic has his reasons, Mister Knuckles," Cream said softly.

"…I suppose. But there's something about him lately…"

"I know what you mean, Knuckles. But we can't do anything about it, at least not right now," Tails replied. "For now, let's focus on our current goal…Rouge and Omega need our help."

"Right. We're going full steam, I suppose?"

"No doubt!"

* * *

Already on the island, Shadow noticed two energies in proximity to his location. One was familiar, in a sense. The other wasn't.

"This isn't like you…I wonder what you could be doing here, Amy Rose…?"


	4. Confrontation

"Need a soft place to land..."

Sonic was coming down at high speed towards West Side Island, trying to figure what could be going on at that point in time.

Jumping a couple thousand feet from a plane had seemed like a good idea at the time, but...well.

"Yeah. Not getting a soft place to land. Well...time to try something different."

He raced down through the clouds and could finally make out the old Zones that used to compose the majority of the island, back when Eggman was running wild on the island. The lights of Casino Night still shone brightly, while Hill Top stood majestically high on the top of the island. The familiar rolling green hills came into sight as well...

However, this view would be short lived. He spun into a ball, turning himself into a cobalt buzzsaw as he came down. And after that, he did something else by going into a roll at the same time, turning his blue body into a supersonic drill as it streaked down towards the ground. Sonic's trajectory shot him right through the top of the Mystic Caves, drilling him through several layers of hard rock and tough plants before he landed hard, feet first on solid ground.

Well, that worked out pretty nicely.

"Heh...nice. Looks like my Hurricane Drill is good to go."

Dusting himself off, he moved forwards to exit the caves. Maybe the next area would have something interesting.

* * *

"Oh…this is really nice, this really is. Such a beautiful thing…"

Ellen held up a vial of black liquid to the light ahead of her. She and Amy were currently in the Oil Ocean on one of the many platforms that remained from Eggman's conquest years ago.

"Yes, this is just what I needed. Perhaps this was a better choice than the Launch Base after all…"

"Ellen…are you sure about these?"

"Hm?" She turned to face Amy, dressed in a new outfit of sorts. She wore a simple black blouse and pink skirt that reached her knees, with a pair of boots that looked like her own, but were modified a bit and were blue at the bottoms. She wore a pair of pink and black gloves, a little thicker than what she usually wore, and a red hair-band with a feather adorned her head. Around her neck was a necklace, with the pendant on it in the shape of a mallet.

"You look gorgeous, Amy. Don't worry about a thing. Unless, you don't like them yourself?"

"It's not that…"

"Then you've nothing to fret about. That outfit is all about functionality and style. You'll love it, I assure you."

"Right…you're right. I didn't mean to doubt you."

"That's okay," Ellen said with a smile. "I know you're a bit shaken up, but you're a strong girl."

"Thank you…um…"

"A question, Amy?" Ellen asked as she analyzed her sample with a small computer.

"Yes…what is it that we're doing here, if I may ask?"

"Oh, it's all quite simple. What we're going to do is make sure that this energy here doesn't go to waste. It would be very bad if it did."

"Is this all oil?"

"Every single drop. Doctor Robotnik used the island's resources and his own technologies to create this vast ocean of fuel for his war-machine. More specifically, for his monster projects…the Wing Fortress and the massive Death Egg."

"Sonic beat Eggman, though…he went through all of this…"

"Indeed. But aside from that…this is a wealth of untapped resources. I could sell this off for a massive profit for years and years…we could both be quite rich on our own, quite easily. But that's only part of the plan. Amy, this will be used for my own project. I'll crush that Robotnik with his own creations, and this is one of them…hm. If the Metropolis District isn't destroyed, I can make use of this easily…"

"Metropolis…?"

"The next Zone ahead, Amy. Full of machines working at full steam, creating the parts and tools needed to build that Eggman's dreams and ambitions…!"

Amy thought on that for a moment. "Would you like me to go and check, Ellen? You have work to do here, still, right?"

"Something like that. Are you sure, though? I mean…"

"I want to help out, Ellen."

She adjusted her glasses and nodded. "Very well. Just take your time and be careful."

"Will do. Be back in a flash."

Amy Rose sped off towards the sprawling city, leaving Ellen to her work.

* * *

"Son of a…! Is this ever going to stop?"

"Not likely! Don't know what Eggman's doing, but this is pretty heavy stuff, even for him!"

Rouge and Knuckles were fighting their way through wave after wave of Eggman's robots as they defended the nearby G.U.N base in the mountainous western front.

"Tails, do you have anything yet?" Rouge asked through her communicator.

"Just a few clicks ahead, Rouge! I think I've got the source of Eggman's army pinned down!"

"You think that you could take it out for us?"

"No problem! I'll call back when…ished…ay?"

"Tails?"

"Rouge…nal…amming fre…"

"Hey, munchkin? You're not coming in too clearly…!"

"…! Re…hit…!"

"Hey! Come on, don't break up on me now…!"

"Rouge…look up…"

She finished her kick on a nearby robot before looking up towards the clear skies, eyes widening in horror at what she saw. A cloud of dark smoke hung in the sky, with a trail leading down towards the ground where more rose up from a single area.

"No…"

"…Come on. Let's see if we can't get to those two in time…"

"…You're right. Let's go on, then."

"I believe you'll have to stop right there for the moment."

Just ahead of the two was a familiar looking robot, one of Eggman's most prized creations.

"Metal Sonic," Knuckles growled. "The hell are you doing here…"

"I've been ordered to cause you a bit of trouble, Guardian."

"Yeah? Fine, I'll take on your challenge…with gusto!"

"Knuckles, I'll help out!"

"No. You can't."

"Don't be a fool! You can't-"

"Don't you have somewhere to be, Rouge?"

At that moment, what Knuckles was saying clicked into Rouge's head. Right…she had another mission to attend to.

"I do. Thanks for reminding me…"

"No worries. Get a move on."

"Yeah. I'll see you soon, knucklehead."

"Yup…"

Although she didn't know if those words would ring true, all she could do at this point was believe in him. Believe that he would be alive the next time they met. She took off into the skies, towards the place where the Tornado had crashed.

"You just hold on…I'm coming, you two."

* * *

"Excellent, excellent. Everything's going according to plan. I've shot down that annoying fox boy, Sonic is out of my hair for the moment, and Shadow seems to be as well. Metal Sonic should also prove an interesting distraction…good. Very good."

Doctor Ivo Robotnik, better known to the world as the evil genius Doctor Eggman, was inside one of his elaborately crafted bases in a yet to be revealed location. He had been monitoring the whole situation with the alien invasion and the negotiations going on recently. Earth and the Galactic Empire of Gloriole were at odds…all it would need to push them both over the point of no return was the smallest of aggravations.

Luckily, he had plenty of aggravations to spare.

"A war on two fronts seems bad at first, but with Earth so focused on those aliens, they'll be too weak to bother with my operations. That blue rodent would take an interest in the lives of civilians, so he'll likely be out of my way for some time. The aliens will be too busy dealing with G.U.N and those pests to stop me. And I can crush them all with my new power…ohohohoho! Yes, this is indeed perfect!"

He spun around in his chair to look at the blueprints he had on his computer.

"Of course, I'll need to take some time out to build my masterpiece…hehehe. The classics never go out of style, they say. But…this concerns me…what would possess that Sonic to head over to West Side Island? I suppose I'll soon find out…_they_ will take care of anyone over there, although it might be a bit messy. Ah, well. That's of no concern to me right now."

He folded his hands in thought.

"Though I get the feeling…that I'll run into complications this time around as well. However, I've prepared thoroughly for this round of fighting. None of them will be able to stop me."

* * *

"Negotiations are not yet over, Your Highness."

"Negotiations end when I say they have ended. And they end now, Reina."

"May I-"

The man towered over her, at least eight feet tall and with shining white armour, nearly medieval in style, all over his person. He had huge, bulging muscles and wild red hair that rested on the top of his head, spiked upwards like a row of sharp spears. His red eyes emitted a powerful presence towards anyone who even glanced in his direction.

"You may not."

"…Forgive my rudeness, Your Highness."

"All is forgiven, child," he responded, his voice deep and booming. "Return to Earth and inform the leaders of our conditions. They will either surrender or be destroyed."

"Yes, Your Highness." The princess bowed deeply before leaving her father's massive chambers. Although she had seen what had happened to the many other places that she had been, she somehow had this feeling…

"Why is it that I feel like something will change this time?"

She wanted to hold onto that feeling, very badly. Another trip to Earth would do her good, it seemed. Those odd beings…if they had indeed made it out of the gauntlet, maybe this feeling was more than just a passing one, after all.

* * *

"Yes…yes, I understand. Thank you for the information, it's been very useful. Bye for now."

Ellen ended the call on her phone before placing another one quickly to Amy. This island was about to become very dangerous in a short while.

At its current velocity, it would likely take about twenty minutes to reach this particular area…didn't take more than five to get to the plane and out of here. It was enough time, if nothing went wrong.

"Hello?"

Amy Rose received the call, and nodded her head as Ellen spoke. She had run deep into the Metropolis Zone, taking note of the many secrets that it held. For one, it was still running at full power, though most of its operations were currently idled. The other was that it was drawing from the Oil Ocean, but that could probably be inferred on a first guess…

"I understand. I'll be back in a few minutes…something I want to take care of here."

"Understood. Our time limit is in about eighteen minutes. Don't forget, now."

"I won't. See you in a bit, Ellen." The call ended, and Amy turned around to face the person in front of her.

"As you probably know by now, I don't have much time."

"Neither of us do…at least, if we want to avoid trouble."

"Is there something you would like to ask of me, Shadow?"

The black hedgehog let out a characteristic 'hmph' before anything else. "Well, perhaps. What might you be doing here, on this island?"

"Though it's none of your concern, I will tell you that it's for research."

"Research for what, if I may ask?"

"You may not."

"Touchy, aren't we?"

"Very."

"I see." He looked her over suspiciously. This wasn't the same girl he talked to on ARK all that time ago. If he had to say…some part of her was slowly disappearing. He couldn't figure out exactly what, though.

"If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave…"

"You probably don't know it, but your boyfriend is here, on the island."

"…Sonic's here?"

"Landed some time ago, rather crudely as usual."

"I see…"

"Perhaps you should see what he wants."

"We…have nothing to talk about. Not yet."

"I don't believe he feels the same way."

"It doesn't matter. Please, just understand that. Is there anything else of importance?"

"The thing heading towards us is one of Eggman's robots. Seems to be one of his better works, as well…"

Amy thought for a moment. Perhaps it was that one again…

"Maybe that's why you want to scramble so badly?"

"It's not that. And it's no business of yours, Shadow."

"Tch. Stubborn girl…what if I were to make it my business?"

"Is that a threat?"

"Threat? No, you misunderstand. I have yet to threaten you, little girl."

"Watch your tone," Amy growled.

"Looks like we're a bit upset. Like you could do anything about it…"

"…"

She held her tongue before disappearing in a flash of light.

"…You've changed quite a bit…"

Shadow focused on the energies remaining on the island before warping himself to the most unfamiliar one. He ended up in front of a red-headed woman and Amy Rose once more.

"Ah, Project Shadow! I've heard much about you," she started.

"Calling me that…"

"Shadow. Leave us, now."

"You go ahead and try…I'll break you and make you both reveal your secrets to me, whatever they may be."

"You…"

"…!"

Shadow noticed something odd happening. There was a spike in her energies, a rather large one. The green in her eyes had changed into a crimson red, like his own. Some of the quills on the back of her head were starting to spike straight up with the others remaining where they were, and the colour of her fur was like it was being drained to a bleached white, though it was struggling between that and a golden yellow…

"That's not at all possible. What did you…?"

"As I said…it's none of your business."

She launched herself forward, throwing a punch that Shadow barely caught…how was this girl this powerful? What exactly…?

Now he had no choice. He had to figure out what had happened to Amy Rose, come hell or high water. But something told him that it wouldn't be easy at all.

Meanwhile, one of Eggman's machines was indeed on its way to West Side Island, along with _something_ else. Sonic, feeling the disturbances in the area, was speeding through the rest of the Mystic Caves towards the massive Oil Ocean.

Whatever happened when all of these players on the stage met, it was going to be big.


	5. Decision

"Cream, you're okay, right?"

"Uh-huh. I'm fine, thanks to you, Tails."

"Chao!"

"Cheese says thank you, too!"

Tails sighed as he surveyed the flaming wreckage nearby. It was once the latest incarnation of the Tornado…

"Maybe the bi-plane's days are numbered…? Though Sonic has an odd liking for them. Looks like it's back to the drawing board…still. That cannon packed a serious punch. If it wasn't for that flight training I did, we would have been toast!"

"Tails…ear…?"

"Eh? Rouge?"

"…re…ay…?...oke…"

"Hm." From what he could guess, Tails figured that there was some sort of jamming going on. That could be solved easily enough…

"Hey! Answer me if you can understand!"

"I can hear you fine, Rouge. I managed to un-jam the frequency."

"Are you okay? What about Cream? Anything broken?"

"Relax, we're both fine. Cream and I just flew down on our own. The plane's not in the best of conditions, though."

"…Thank goodness. Listen, I'm still on my way, but I want to hurry back. Knuckles is up against that robot by himself."

"That robot?"

"Our good friend, Metal Sonic."

Tails grit his teeth. "Sounds like bad news…! Cream and I will meet you halfway!"

"Sounds like a plan!"

"Alright, come on, Cream. We've got to hurry or else Knuckles is gonna have a really bad day!"

"I don't want that to happen…full steam ahead, then!" She took off into the sky, rising higher and higher using her ears. Tails spun his twin tails rapidly and took off after her.

"Ahh!"

"Cream!"

She stopped in place, faced with an army of golden-coloured robots, all packing beam guns and shields.

"Tch…E-2000R models! Using them en masse, as well…Cream, we're going to land."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

She nodded and lowered herself to the ground along with Tails, watching as the robots followed. Tails shuffled himself in front of her and placed his hand over what looked like a large bracelet on his left hand. It suddenly whirred up and wrapped itself around the entirety of the fox's hand, creating an arm cannon.

"Thunder Buster, on-line! Stay behind me, Cream…"

"Yes…"

He stared down the robots as he charged up a shot.

"I'll get us out of here…and I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

"I trust you, Tails…"

"Alright, then. Let's go!" His first shot was a speeding ball of lightning, hitting one of the robots dead-on and destroying it. Spinning around, he took aim at the others as they shot forward…

* * *

Shadow and Amy continued their dance across the platforms spanning the massive Oil Ocean. While her eyes had changed back to their steely emerald colour, Amy refused to let up in her attacking. Shadow on the other hand was trying to get a read on his current situation. Something suspicious was definitely going on with Amy Rose, and it had to do with that red-headed girl she was with. Figuring out her identity was something he had to do soon.

He side-stepped a punch from Amy before shoving her to one side, breaking up the momentum of the duel.

"Trouble's coming," he said.

"You're darn right it is…!"

"Stop being foolish for a moment…we don't have the time to stick around here. I think that both of you should leave. Especially your human friend over there."

"I think I'm capable of taking care of myself," Ellen replied.

"Yo, what's going on?"

Sliding to a stop in front of the three was Sonic the Hedgehog, in his usual manner. "Thought I'd find you here, Shadow. And…I guess that solves our little mystery for now, then. Nice 'do," he said to Amy with a smile. She quickly brought herself back to normal, her cheeks bright red from the comment.

"We were all worried about you! You okay?"

"I'm fine…"

He gave her a look before nodding with approval. "Sounds pretty sincere."

"I don't want any trouble…and…I don't have the time to talk about this right now, Sonic. I'm sorry…"

"No worries! As long as you're fine, and you're happy. Amy, you're your own woman now, right? I mean, we're all getting independent and doing our own things these days. That's cool, I guess. But…you've gotta remember, that there are people who care about you a lot and want to know how you're doing. All I'm asking is that you don't go out and worry us all like that, okay?"

"Sonic…I…" Amy searched for the words to say, but she couldn't find them. Could she tell him what she really felt, about what she wanted to do with her life? Would everything start to change from then on? She just didn't know, and everything was so uncertain right now.

"You don't need to rush anything, Amy. Just go at your own pace," Sonic said with a thumbs-up. "Now get going with your friend, there. It's gonna be a rough ride from here on…!"

"This would be a great time to prove yourself, but they're right this time, Amy. Come, let's head to the next location before we get stuck," Ellen said.

"You're right…let's get a move on, then."

"See you, boys!"

"Yeah! See ya around!" Sonic yelled back as they left. He turned to Shadow, who had his arms folded across his chest while he meditated.

"So, what's the situation?"

"Your friend Amy has obtained some strange abilities, similar to my own in some ways."

"Maybe that means she's getting stronger, that's all. All of us have been getting more and more in tune with the Chaos Energy that's around us and inside of us, yanno? I figure that it's the training she did earlier."

"She never had that kind of power before, nothing close to it. That's what makes this so suspicious. Also, she seems to have a connection with that red-head…"

"Maybe you guys at G.U.N can look her up later on."

Shadow nodded. "That might be an option. As for this alien threat…suffice it to say that this is far worse than the Black Doom incident of days past. There's a degree of competence here within the ranks."

"How do you know?" Sonic asked.

"The fact that they're setting up shop slowly, and taking part in negotiations…they're saving the firefights for last."

"And if we force their hand?"

"I couldn't truly say what would happen then."

Sonic slammed a fist into one of his palms. "Good. Then we can make something out of that for sure. Eggman's probably gonna be a problem, though."

"Always is. There's a chance that he'll try to use the chaos of this time to his advantage…and if I were him, the first thing I would do is…"

"…Shoot. He's gonna try and turn everyone on each other! No time to lose, then!"

"I'll hold off these distractions here. G.U.N is under attack in the west, take care of that issue quickly, and join up with Rouge. She'll be able to provide you with the information you need."

"Roger that, Shadow. Take care of yourself!"

"Hmph. As if I needed advice from you…just get moving."

Sonic gave him a smirk and a salute before blasting off towards Metropolis. Shadow moved forwards and quickly intercepted his two opponents. One looked like a metallic version of Knuckles, though a bit bulkier if he had to say. The other was…a stuffed Tails doll? There was also an odd antenna on its head with a red crystal on it.

"Isn't this a motley crew…I suppose I can handle you two toys quite quickly, then."

Shadow went into a spin and launched himself at Metal Knuckles, only to be swiftly dodged. He rolled on the ground before coming back for another quick strike, which was easily parried. The crimson robot then shot forward in a flash, nearly catching Shadow off guard before he used Chaos Control to slow the robot down.

"Easy enough…"

However, he felt an invisible force slam him into the ground from behind, and noted that…doll…at his back. But that wasn't possible, since Chaos Control…

He groaned in frustration and took up his battle stance again. Why the hell did everything have to get so complicated this time…?

* * *

"Tails…you're really hurt…"

"S'okay, Cream…I…can handle myself just fine…"

Tails let his right arm drop to his side, the wound on it slowly dripping blood onto the ground below. Fortunately, that had been the worst of the damage he had received this time…the E-2000Rs were quite swift and heavily armoured, so taking on a whole mess of them like this wasn't the easiest of jobs.

He launched himself forward and slammed a sticky bomb onto the shield of one of the robots, activating it remotely and blowing the shield apart. With another step in, he unloaded a blast from his arm cannon that tore right through the robot's center, causing it to explode into pieces. That was another one, but…

"There are way too many…darn."

The situation wasn't looking too great at the moment, but Tails knew that he had to get through it, somehow. At the very least, Cream and Cheese needed to be safe.

Thinking on that, he came up with a quick plan to get them out of dodge.

"Cream, listen…I'm going to need you to get out of here."

"I can't do that! You're hurt, and I can't leave you alone like this, Tails!"

"This is for your safety. I know you can take care of yourself, but this is more than either of us can handle right now. So…you should go on ahead and meet with Rouge, okay?"

"But if it's too much for either of us, then…you'll…"

"…"

"Don't make me leave…"

Tails noted the pain numbing on his arm, looking down at it. Not that it was any more useful, but…

"You said that you wanted to find Amy, right?" he asked her.

"Y-yeah…"

"Well, you won't get too far if you're stuck here, will you?"

"N-no…"

"I'll be okay, Cream."

"Promise me, Tails…please, promise me!" She held out her pinkie finger towards him. With a soft smile, he wrapped his finger around hers.

"I promise, Cream."

"Then…we'll see you later, okay?"

"Yeah, for sure. I'll clear a path…" Tossing a few of his makeshift bombs into an area, he caused the robots to scatter long enough for Cream and Cheese to escape through the skies. She looked back forlornly at him one last time before going ahead at full speed.

"…I don't know if I'll be able to keep that promise…but…"

He felt himself weaken a little as he forced more energy into the cannon.

"Here's hoping…"

* * *

"It seems that we meet again, Sonic!"

"You sound a bit too happy about this, buddy! Got something up your sleeve this time?"

Knuckles had dropped to one knee behind Sonic as he faced down his robotic copy. The battle had been tough, but he hadn't taken too many hits in the process. On the other hand, that tin can was pretty fast…it made the echidna wonder how far Sonic had come himself in the past while.

"Be careful, this guy's a trickster," he warned the hedgehog.

"Naturally. He's based off of me, ain't he?"

"Foolish Sonic…you have yet to know my true power! Behold…" Metal Sonic stretched one of his arms forward. Knuckles felt a familiar pulse of energy in the area…almost like…

"Wait…Sonic, he's going to do something!"

"Die! **Chaos Control!**"

Sonic and Knuckles were frozen in place, unable to move for as long as Metal Sonic willed it…

"Yes…I've been waiting for this moment! Now, I end this for good…!"

"Hey, I'd think if you've been waiting for this, you'd have better lines, dude!"

"What…?"

Metal Sonic watched the image of Sonic and Knuckles fade away, only to turn and see the blue hedgehog behind him, smirking as he always did.

"A bit slow on the uptake, there! Either way, we ain't got time to chat any longer. I'm gonna help my best pal out, and then put an end to this game of checkers here! If I get some spare time, we'll samba later on, Metal!"

"You…! How is it that…?"

"Huh? I thought you robots were walking encyclopedias and whatnot. Guess you're not that all-knowing after all, eh? See ya!" He left along with Knuckles in a cloud of smoke.

"No…no, no, no, no, no! I won't let you…I won't let you get away!"

"Object identified as Metal Sonic. Immediate termination recommended."

Metal Sonic would have let out a groan if he could. On his right was the walking arms factory, E-123 Omega.

"As Rouge would say," the robot went on as he transformed his arms into laser cannons, "I have obtained a target of abnormally high value."

"…"

"In general English terms, as per local custom: _jackpot_."


	6. Defiance

Metal Sonic quickly activated the jet engine installed in his back, and not a moment too soon. The twin lasers tore through the earth where he once was, and Omega quickly switched tactics at that, firing off rounds from the machine guns hidden inside of his arm compartments.

The blue robot attempted to escape, with Omega giving chase in earnest.

Meanwhile, Sonic rushed towards the area where Tails was, immediately spotting the E-2000Rs and pushing energy into the bottom part of his sneakers. With a mighty leap, he rose high into the air before falling towards the swarm of enemies, watching as they all turned and aimed their weapons at him as he dropped. He smirked at them all the same.

"Too slow."

To a normal observer, it would have looked like Sonic had disappeared from his position and instantly reappeared on the ground, just behind the storm of scrap metal that followed his arrival. In reality, he had spun through each target in an instant at the speed of light – this was the technique known as the Light Spin Attack, something that he had been working on a bit lately, along with other things. Immensely useful to make quick work of anything that got in the way.

"Yo, Tails. How ya holding up?"

"I'm alright. Didn't expect you to show up so quickly…"

"I figured that something wasn't right, so I came on over."

The twin-tailed fox took a seat on the ground below, flexing his arm and checking for any more damage. "Good to hear…I probably would have made it on my own, but not in this kind of shape."

"It was a bit hectic," Knuckles started as he caught up, "so I didn't get to ask what the hell you were thinking back there. On the Tornado, I mean."

"Intuition, more or less. I found something that I was looking for," Sonic replied coolly.

"What was that?"

"Information, and Amy."

"Amy? Is she okay? What happened to her?" Tails asked.

"She's fine, and she's been out training lately. Though it's all a bit suspicious, but we'll sort that out when the time comes. Other than that, Eggman's planning to make a big mess of things by turning everyone on each other."

"That'll make it really hectic…" Tails scratched his head. "It could go any which way with three sides on the battlefield."

"Five."

"Say what?"

"Five," Sonic corrected him again. "Ourselves, G.U.N, Amy and her friend, Eggman, and the aliens."

"I don't get it. Aren't we on the same side as G.U.N and Amy?" Knuckles asked.

"It's all uncertain right now, Knuckles. That's why we've gotta keep on guard."

"…" That revelation left Knuckles thinking of his own plans. He'd have to do something to keep the destructive powers of the Chaos Emeralds in check, and it would take more than simply having possession of the Master Emerald.

If his gut wasn't just acting up, he would have to do something pretty drastic…having something on the scale of Perfect Chaos or Finalhazard happen again wasn't an option.

"Guess you're right, Sonic. I've got a few things to think about, it seems."

"We all do," he replied. "But for now, we need to stop Eggman's cronies from overrunning the troops. You still good to go, Tails?"

"I can provide support at the least."

"No worries. I'll handle the heavy stuff!"

* * *

A few minutes earlier, Shadow was still locked in a duel with his mysterious opponents. The fast moving Metal Knuckles had proven a formidable opponent, while the slightly creepy Tails Doll had been tricky with his - or its if one preferred – use of psychic abilities, mostly limited to the telekinetic type.

He used Chaos Control to freeze the sharp spears of metal that rose up from the platforms as he ran along, dodging blow after blow from Metal Knuckles as he stabbed at the black hedgehog. Shadow's mind was turning all the while, realizing that they had a resistance to Chaos Control somehow…how that was, he didn't know. But if he had deduced something from his encounter from Metal Sonic, it was that their ability had to be limited; therefore far below his own overall. Now it was merely a matter of creating an opening…

There was one that opened up. Shadow raced down one of the catwalks towards Tails Doll, having Metal Knuckles give chase at high speed. Knowing that the red robot would overtake him, he braked hard and stretched one hand backwards toward his opponent. Metal Knuckles ended up rushing through a tear in space and then out ahead of Shadow. The robot reversed its thrust, but was too late as Shadow quickly stepped between his two targets and again stretched his hands outwards to either side.

"Chaos Control!"

In a flash of light, the robot and living doll were sent away to another place, quite some distance away. If there hadn't been so much resistance, Shadow felt that he could have sent them even further away…but that was only a small hitch in the plan.

"That's taken care of for now." The communicator on his wrist beeped. "This is Shadow."

"Hey, there. You doing okay?"

"I'm fine, Rouge. Just took care of some business."

"I heard. Thanks for your help. With those three guys together, we made quick work of Eggman's forces."

"Good to hear. You've heard about Amy Rose, I presume."

"I have. Sounds like she's up to something with that friend of hers…"

"I can give you a detailed description once I get back to base. How long until you get there?"

"I can wait here for you, the thing I wanted to take care of is gonna have to stay on hold."

"What would that be?"

"Getting some higher-level clearance. It sucks not being able to get in on the action. Might be able to help out, you know?"

"…Clearance. That can be easily solved."

"Oh? You don't say? Well, you lead and I'll follow, Shadow."

"Right…see you in a few. We've got some things to talk about, anyways."

"Hm…if you say so. Over and out."

"Copy."

Shadow was coming to many of the same conclusions that Sonic had earlier. This next battle would be tricky, if only for the number of different 'factions' that would be involved this time. Even G.U.N had its own agenda…

Thinking on that, he wondered whether it would be worthwhile to join Sonic's group, or even strike out on his own to find another solution. The Eclipse Cannon was still operational, and that drawback could easily be solved if needed. Would it come to that, though? One could only guess at this point.

* * *

"You sure about this, Knuckles?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. It's just something for insurance we ever run into any trouble soon. From what I know, I need at least one other person to do this."

"What is it, exactly?"

"Don't worry too much about it. It'll be to our benefit in the end."

Sonic and Knuckles were back on Angel Island, at the Emerald Shrine. Tails had gone off searching for a few minerals that he felt he needed from the island while they took care of business.

"If you say so, Red. Let's do it, then."

"Yeah. Just concentrate and place your hand on the Master Emerald."

"Gotcha." Sonic stood opposite of Knuckles and did as he was told, flowing his energy into the Master Emerald and subsequently into the Chaos Emeralds that were scattered across Earth for the time being. After a few minutes, they streaked across the sky and came together, circling the Emerald Shrine.

"Pretty cool…what's next, Knuckles?"

"Just need to focus, Sonic. Like if you were performing Chaos Control."

"Done and done." Sonic put his focus into completing the task.

That's when _it_ happened.

A flood of visions went through his head, starting from the moments that he and Tails left the island. All sorts of happenings, all sorts of things that led to…the end…?

That couldn't be right…because if it was, then everyone…

No, there had to be a way! But before telling Knuckles, he had to…wait. The first part of the vision had to do with this, right? What happened?

At that time, the Chaos Emeralds were being warped and sealed into space-time pockets, as per Knuckles' plan. He hadn't told Sonic…he very well knew that it would raise a loud objection from him and the others. He felt sorry for doing it, but…

Four. Five. Six.

And the last-

"Shoot! Gotta make it!"

In an instant, the blue Chaos Emerald stopped its transport and flew into Sonic's outstretched hand. The others were already sealed by then, but…

"…Sonic? Why'd you stop?"

"I know…I know what you were trying to do, Knuckles."

"How?"

"I can't say. But I don't hold it against you, not one bit."

Knuckles beckoned him closer. "The Chaos Emerald. Sonic, pass it here."

"I'm sorry. I can't."

"You gonna tell me why, at least?"

"I can't. But you'll see why in time, Knuckles…please, just let me hold on to it, okay?"

"If you understand what I was trying to do, then you know I can't let you hold onto even one. As much as I trust you, Sonic…not this time."

Sonic closed his eyes in resignation. "…You and I know how this will end, right? Then…let's settle this, mano-a-mano. We're clear enough on the wager."

Knuckles shook his head before lunging at Sonic, who raised his hand with the Emerald.

"Guess not, then. **Chaos…!**"


	7. Motion

Ellen and Amy had arrived on the floating Egg Carrier, now mostly disabled after its fall from a while back. Amy remembered that time vividly, as she had met that robot and been rescued by Sonic and Tails…as always, right? It was things like that which made her want to better herself.

They were now in the main control room, enjoying a light lunch while Ellen's high-powered laptop downloaded the data still present within the Carrier's computer systems.

"Have you ever thought of starting a restaurant, Amy?" Ellen asked.

"Not really…"

"You're a very good cook, you know."

"T-thank you."

"You look pensive," Ellen commented as she nibbled on her sandwich. "Is it about Sonic?"

Amy said nothing, but nodded softly all the same.

"You're remembering what I told you…I see. Listen, I don't mean him any harm…"

"I know. But…it's not just that. I have this bad feeling, about everything. Not necessarily what you're doing, but the outcome of all of this fighting that will start…"

"Fighting? I doubt that there will be any fighting any time soon. And if we play our cards right, there won't be anyone to stop us."

"Stop us…from what?"

Ellen sighed and beckoned Amy closer. Looked like it was time to explain everything.

"I have a selfish dream…ah…" She felt herself go faint for a moment, and Amy rushed to catch her as she fell backwards.

"Ellen…it's the sickness again…"

"Don't worry so much about me, Amy. Um, the medication should be in the basket."

"Yes." Amy found the small pill bottle and handed one pill to Ellen, who swallowed it and sipped her tea along with it.

"I should be fine now," she said with a smile. "Anyways…what I was saying, my selfish dream. I want to live, Amy. Not just for the rest of my natural life, but beyond that. But you know, I…have another dream. That Earth will become a peaceful place, a happier place. I want some kind of freedom for us all."

"Freedom…?"

"The end of tyranny and people being bound by their so-called leaders. Something of a revolution, perhaps. The first thing to do would be to stop this invasion of Earth. The next, to defeat Doctor Eggman once and for all, and the last would be to free those oppressed parts of the Earth, so that people could live freely and peacefully, for real this time. And to that end, I'd devote the entirety of my continuous existence to that purpose. Beyond Earth, the entire universe could experience this kind of peaceful existence. I…I realize that it's a crazy dream. I guess I'm no different than those other extremists, am I?"

"Are you…using me, Ellen?"

"I'm sorry, Amy. I was using you, and I would continue to do so."

"…I understand."

"…"

Amy gave her a warm smile. "Use me however you have to. That dream of yours can come true if you just try."

"Amy…"

"As long as I'm not a burden…like I've always been…"

"You've never been a burden to me, Amy. In fact, I'm so grateful for your help that I can't truly express it in words. You mean a lot to me, taking care of me like this. The very least I could do is carry out your wishes in exchange."

"Ellen…thank you."

"No, thank you, Amy…"

The computer sounded, signalling the end of the data transfer. "Ah, it's all done. Shall we go, Amy?"

"…Maybe not yet…I want to know something."

"What is it?"

"There was this robot…I don't remember his name, but I met him here, on the Egg Carrier. He helped me to escape…and even though he was one of Eggman's robots, he actually listened to me, understood me somehow. It was just a brief time, but…"

"Anything specific about him?"

"Um…one of his arms was a laser blaster, and he was red…I think there was some kind of symbol on his body as well…"

"Can you draw it? Here, use the touch screen." She did so, and Ellen recognized the shape. That was…

"Okay, I think I can crack this. Give me a moment…" She searched the database as Amy looked on curiously. "There. This should be your friend."

"Yes…that's him. I remember it clearly. We met another time as well, when Emerl was still around…"

"Emerl?"

"That's what Sonic named him. He apparently was an ancient robot from many years ago…"

"Ah, the Gizoid…that's interesting. Well, I think we could give your friend Gamma a new lease on life. Just would be helpful if his original personality data was intact…oh. Never mind," she said while reading the files. "Found it. Eggman's 100 Series, huh…if that Omega fellow is any indication, those types are quite hardy…"

"You're going to rebuild him?"

"Yup. If that's okay with you, of course."

"Yes, it would be. Thank you, Ellen," she said with a smile.

"No trouble at all. Now…I think we should head home for the time being, gather our information up and what not. After that, we'll return to the Oil Ocean in the morning. Those distractions should be taken care of, and I have a way of making us inconspicuous to some extent."

"Are you going to start your plans now, Ellen?"

"Soon, Amy. Quite soon."

* * *

In the meantime, the Kingdom of Soleanna had made a pronouncement that blasted any sort of terms for surrender or the like. The United Federation, for all intents and purposes, told Soleanna to shut up and go along with it, but the Duke of Soleanna would have none of it. Diplomacy and foreign affairs fell into the lap of his daughter, Princess Elise the Third.

Needless to say, this was not her cup of tea.

"My father, a wonderful man, isn't he?" she said aloud, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Lady Elise, this is a necessary task for the well-being of-"

"I don't believe that's the truth," she said, interrupting her lady-in-waiting. "Marsha, he could have co-operated with the Federation instead of embarrassing them like that."

"That is true…"

"Besides, why send me? Can't he go himself?"

"He's busy reassuring the people of Soleanna of their safety…"

Elise rolled her eyes at that and stepped into her chambers to change. A few minutes later, she emerged with several helpers on her heels, as she wore a shimmering blue dress that stopped just below her knees. The feathers on either side of her head rested neatly in her brown hair, and she draped a shawl over her shoulders as she went.

"Marsha, take care of things until I get back."

"As you wish, milady."

"And another favour?"

"Yes?"

"Please…tell father to calm down. He'll give himself an ulcer at this rate…"

Marsha smiled a bit at the comment. "Duly noted."

Elise smiled back before heading towards the royal family's airfield. At the least, she'd have some time to catch up on her reading before they reached Washington…

* * *

Well, Sonic figured that he was in for it now. Taking the Chaos Emerald wouldn't do any wonders for his and Knuckles' relationship, that was certain. Right now, five different groups with interests had turned into six, with himself running around.

"This is the last one," he mused, looking at the blue Chaos Emerald in his hand. "It's gotta be the key to getting the others back, if I try hard enough. I get Knuckles' plan, but that'd leave us in a really tight spot if I didn't interrupt it. And that whole vision…what did it all mean? Could he change anything about it?

Sonic focused on the Chaos Emerald again, and this time the vision was a lot clearer, more straightforward. But there were several large gaps in it…

He recomposed himself and viewed it several more times, each time being more painful than the last…but he had figured something out from them. At those 'blank' spots, the vision could go in different directions. There were preset paths that they fell back towards, but there was at least some variation. The ending…it was always the same in some ways, but certain details were mysteriously absent or fuzzy. Those were dependent on the actions beforehand, he realized.

So…it was all clear, now. The first 'checkpoint', where he could make a change to the ending, was coming up tomorrow. The vision had been clear: negotiations would fail between the aliens and Earth, but there was another variable that he could control. It was one that only he could control, from the looks of it.

"Guess I'll set out tomorrow…gotta make this count."

* * *

"Tails, are you absolutely sure about that?"

"I wouldn't joke about this sort of thing, Rouge. Listen, Knuckles and I will make it down as soon as possible. Can you wait for us?"

"We'll be here, Shadow, Omega, and I. Come over when you can, sugar."

"Much appreciated. This is Tails, over and out."

"Copy that, over and out."

Knuckles and Tails were on their way to the prototype of Tails' newest incarnation of the Tornado bi-plane. It was a bit shaky, but it flew well enough for its purpose.

"Knuckles, I don't think it's quite sunk in for me yet," the fox said as he prepped the flight controls. "Sonic stealing a Chaos Emerald…"

"It happened, buddy. But I saw something…strange in him."

"What do you mean?"

"He was really scared, fearful of something. I don't know what he could have seen in that space of time."

"…" Tails didn't have a handle on it, either. But one thing was for sure, something big was going on. Once Sonic got himself set on some idea, he was hard to stop. "We'll need to bring our A-game, Knuckles. If Sonic's got an agenda of his own, it won't be easy to stop him."

"I've been training, Tails. The only reason he got away was because he had time…but I won't give him a second to think about his next move the next time we meet. Count on it."

Tails eased the plane into the air, all the while wondering about the blue hedgehog.

_What are you thinking, Sonic…?_

* * *

The next morning came all too quickly for some, and not quickly enough for others. Sonic was operating on four hours' sleep, but was amped up and ready to go. Amy and Ellen boarded the latter's private plane to West Side Island once more. Tails and Knuckles took off from the second's workshop towards Station Square and the G.U.N headquarters there. On the opposite coast, Princess Elise was driven with a heavy escort towards the White House. High above them all, Crown Princess Reina descended through the atmosphere in her spacecraft, and some distance away from that, Eggman prepared himself.

As the clock struck 8 A.M., the parties moved simultaneously. This morning would be one to remember.


	8. Connection

Elise reached the White House at about 8:30 in the morning. She was escorted towards the front of the building, and that was when tragedy struck. You see, nobody had noticed it, but a certain young woman had been watching the whole time, waiting for a chance to grab the princess and make off with her. Her blonde hair was soft and sort of fluffy, like a cloud as some of it rested on her shoulders and spilled downwards at her back. Striking green eyes seemed to fix on Elise as she made every step, and the unassuming nature of this woman made her motives very hard, if not impossible to spot. A simple red blouse and white skirt made her blend in with the rest of the crowd, and she moved surprisingly quickly in her pair of fashionable boat shoes…quickly for a civilian, at least.

Within a second's notice, she slipped past the Secret Service detail by weaving in behind the parked limousine, then tripping the one second closest guy to the Princess. That caused the one closest to her to react; just as she thought would happen. She relieved him of his pistol before he could react in time, and then elbowed him hard in the gut, leaving him reeling for long enough.

"In position, sir," she said to seemingly nobody in particular.

"Roger that, 'Mina. Stay put, now."

"Alright, sir," she said softly. With her first step backwards, the Secret Service detail moved in to neutralize her, but a storm of blue smashed into them all simultaneously. Sonic gripped the Chaos Emerald in his hand tightly as a burst of light came from it, washing over the entire immediate area.

The next thing that happened was that the Secret Service men walked out of their cars as they parked, waiting for Princess Elise to step out of the limousine herself. However, all they got was a confused driver who said that she had simply 'disappeared' into thin air. That led to a moment of confusion before the Secret Service informed the White House, who in turn told G.U.N the news.

A few blocks away, Sonic tried to catch his breath after pulling off that stunt of his. Using the Chaos Emerald, he had warped time and space so that time would be reversed and Elise would subsequently be removed from that point in time where she was under the security detail. In other words, he had cut and pasted the three from one point in time to another.

"Are you alright, sir?" the blonde asked him.

"I'm fine. How about you, Wilhelmina?"

"I'm fine as always, sir." She smiled while maintaining a perfect grip on the squirming Elise.

"What the hell's going on? Whatever it is you're doing, you won't get away with it!"

"I hope you don't mean that, Princess," Sonic replied.

"Oh? And why would you say that, huh?"

"I'd like to think that saving someone's life is the right thing to do…"

Elise was genuinely confused at that. "Saving…my life? How is that…?"

"You were to be used as a bargaining chip so that Soleanna would agree to join along with the United Federation in its terms for surrender." Wilhelmina explained.

"He would never go for that!" she said, referring to her father.

"You would be a hostage until the Duke agreed to the terms. G.U.N was to conduct a black operation and use a squad as the 'kidnappers'."

"I don't understand…the Federation was talking about how they would fight to the bitter end, and then all of a sudden they reverse their stance, just like that?"

"I know it's all so strange and nonsensical right now, but it's happening," Sonic said. "It's like…"

* * *

"…Something out of a D-movie."

Shadow nodded in agreement with Rouge's comment as she frowned at the mission briefing, looking up at her commander with disbelief. "Are you actually serious?"

"NSA thought it was a good idea, don't see why it's good enough for you guys," the commander replied.

"Then the NSA's run by a bunch of hacks!" Rouge shouted back in frustration. "If we surrender, we don't know what we're getting into! There's no turning back once we do that! This plan isn't brilliant, it's not even stupidly brilliant! Hell, it's not even stupid, it's beyond that! Did you not hear the threats that Reina girl was giving the President?"

"All empty and bloated. You should know that by now, Rouge."

"Oh, come _off _it," she spat out. "This is…I mean, _goddamn_! I can't describe it, even! I'm just…gonna get some air, try to absorb this…" She left the room, shaking her head. Shadow left soon after in another direction. He figured that it would be best to meet up with her after she cooled down. This kind of plan…what was it, a desperation attempt? Did the higher-ups know something everyone else didn't?

Apparently, the plan was to convince the aliens that Earth had surrendered, all the while hatching a plan out of sight so that the planet could be reclaimed and the aliens stopped once and for all, whilst stealing data on their equipment so that it could be reverse engineered. The trouble with that plan was that it didn't have any readily defined times or plans on it. It was literally an all or nothing stunt that had some chance of working, and only some.

Shadow began thinking harder about striking out on his own and doing something about this himself. The President had signed off on this plan. Looked like he was cracking already…

Omega caught up to Rouge in the meantime.

"Omega…can we talk later?" she said wearily.

"Negative."

"Ah…okay, what's shaking…?"

"While my systems were off-line for maintenance, a command was placed into my mainframe."

"That a problem?" she asked absentmindedly.

"The command was in the case of a need for the capture and confinement or destruction of Gerald Robotnik's Project Shadow mark II; alias Shadow the Hedgehog."

"…Say what? Is there a way to…"

"I can deduce your line of thinking, Rouge. Negative. The programming was activated three hours, twenty six minutes and thirteen seconds prior. The full reconfiguration of my primary functions will be set in twenty hours, thirty four minutes and forty six seconds."

Rouge was getting worried – closer to scared - at that. She understood what Omega was talking about. And the more it started to sink in, the more her heart sank as well.

"Shadow…they're…they're going to…betray him?"

"Affirmative."

Most would be torn between their duties and their friends, but this wasn't so for these two. Rouge walked back into headquarters, her mind clearer than ever. There wasn't any other option. She was going to stop the government from hurting Shadow another time, and fix Omega as well. No two ways about it.

"We'll inform Shadow about this soon. We still have time…and Tails said that he was coming by. Maybe we can put our heads together and find a way out of this mess…"

The robot nodded in response and left to complete other tasks he had been assigned. As for Rouge, the information was making her head spin, but she knew that she had to be strong. There wasn't time to be anything else but that.

* * *

"That's the worst plan I've ever heard…" Elise had received roughly the same news as G.U.N had at this point in time. "I can't find the words to describe it, really."

"They're gonna try to backstab each other…those negotiations will fall apart as soon as they start," Sonic explained.

"How do you know?"

"I…just do, somehow."

"If I'm to take your word for it, what is it that I need to do?"

"Get back home as soon as you can, make sure everyone in your homeland is as safe as possible. Maybe you all can hatch some kind of plan there…and I'll stop by if anything happens. 'Mina showed me where Soleanna is on a map, so I could figure out a way there. If not that, then…you could stay with one of us, where it'd be safe for at least a little while."

Elise nodded and pondered her options. She had wanted to explore America for a while now, but never found a good excuse to do so. Sure, it was a dangerous situation, but she couldn't pass something like this up. However…

"Wait, if I go missing, won't it end up the same way as if those 'black ops' guys captured me?"

"It won't," Sonic assured her. "I'm going to make myself a target this time. That way, I can cause some sort of distraction and carry out what I have to."

"Carry out what you have to? What exactly is your mission, Sonic the Hedgehog?"

"…I've gotta make some changes, for the sake of the world. Can't say much more than that right now."

"I see…"

"Wilhelmina, you remember that pass code I told you?"

"I remember it, sir."

"Alright, then. It's best that you hop on a flight to Station Square as soon as you can. I'll take care of business here."

"Understood. Shall we go, Your Highness?"

"I guess we should. You can call me Elise, if you'd like."

"It wouldn't feel right, ma'am. Might I refer you by your title?"

"If you want," Elise said with a shrug. "I don't mind either way."

"Okay, then. I'll see you later, Sonic."

"Roger that." He took off in a sprint towards the White House as Wilhelmina and Elise started on their way.

"I think we'll need a change of clothing first," the blonde noted. Elise looked down at her dress and nodded.

"That seems to make sense. Mind if I do the shopping around?"

"As you wish, Your Highness."

* * *

"Mister President, you have Sonic the Hedgehog here to see you."

"Send him in."

The President sat back in his chair in the Oval Office as Sonic entered, along with five or so Secret Service personnel. Higher than the usual number, but…ultimately useless against someone like him. He brushed back his graying hair and took to a friendly appearance.

"I've got the Princess."

With those words, that first façade fell. "What do you intend to do with her?"

"Send her home. This was something that I could stop, so I stopped it."

"I don't understand-"

"Listen, I'm not a genius or anything, but I know what you were trying to do. It's not gonna work. I also know about that crazy plan of yours. You realize how bad it is, right?"

"…"

"That being said, it's too late to change the final outcome now."

"Sonic…you understand that you've made yourself an enemy of the State."

"Pretty much, yeah. But you can't stop me, anyways."

"Do you really believe that?"

"I don't have to believe anything. I _know_." Faster than anyone could react, he spun through the window behind the President and out to safety. The President calmly pushed a button on his phone and waited for the encryption system to kick in.

"I want Sonic the Hedgehog captured, by any means necessary. That clear?"

"Crystal, Mister President."

"Good. Keep me updated."

"Sir, yes, sir."

He hung up the phone before folding his hands in thought. The big meeting was today, wasn't it? Would his words come to pass?

No…that was foolishness. Best to dismiss it and focus on the greater threats first.

* * *

Reina landed at the Reagan airport in Washington, a suitable option given its upgraded security measures and restrictions to flights. The sleek personal spacecraft touched down and let out the Crown Princess, dressed in black for the upcoming meeting with the President.

She was ferried to the White House in a special limousine, with heavy guard around her. By this time, people had learned of the alien threat, mostly because of the heavy fighter craft presence in various places across the world. Empire City in the north was the first reported sighting of activity, then in Chun-nan, west of Beijing. Spagonia in the south of Europe was being watched and Apotos, with its nigh-perpetually clear skies, had a clear view of the ships flying about and then idling over certain places.

The members of the United Nations had debated over the proper actions to take when it came to this disturbance, but all had agreed that the collective organization of G.U.N, headed up by America, had to take some kind of action. And so, as the main figure-head of the U.N., the President would handle negotiations and the terms of any agreements that the two sides would reach. 'The Plan' had been discussed and agreed upon beforehand, and would be implemented as of today.

It was time.

* * *

"Sonic stole the last Chaos Emerald…but what's he planning to do with it?" Rouge asked Tails.

"That's the thing, I've got no clue what he's thinking at all."

Tails and Knuckles were talking to the members of Team Dark, trying to get a handle on what exactly was going on with Sonic and his actions. Rouge had gotten an urgent message to 'capture Sonic the Hedgehog by any means necessary'. It had also mentioned that the use of lethal force was authorized.

What the hell had he done to earn _that_?

"You think he knows something that we don't?"

"Must be it, kiddo. I can't come up with any other explanation of why he would pull all of these crazy stunts…apparently, he's kidnapped the Princess of Soleanna, too."

"Say what…?"

"It's true. We've been ordered to go and take him down, any way that we have to."

"Sonic…" Tails was now officially worried. It was getting worse and worse…

"He's an enemy of the State, now. I'm…sorry, kiddo." Rouge felt saddened herself at the news. There was just so much going on right now. "I don't mean to be a burden…but I need your help, Tails."

"What is it that you need?"

"Omega…someone's messed with his programming. I suspect that G.U.N is…planning to betray Shadow…" She watched the black hedgehog raise an eyebrow at that.

"When did you learn of this?" he asked.

"Only a few hours prior. They're fearful of something…I hacked into the database and found some discussions, regarding you and the aliens. They think that you…might be a threat to Earth, that you're unstable and could go Benedict Arnold on us at any time…"

"…"

"It's all this stupid paranoia…but I don't believe one word of it. Shadow…I'll be by your side, no matter what. Omega, too."

"Affirmative."

"We're your friends, Shadow."

"…Rouge."

"Yeah."

He gave her a small smile, something that caught everyone off guard for a moment. "Thanks."

"Yeah…" She smiled back. "Any time, Shadow."

"Okay, now that Happy Hour's done with," Knuckles cut in, "what're we gonna do about Sonic?"

"Forget him for a moment, echidna. We need to stop Eggman first," Shadow replied.

"What? Why?"

"Because he's the trigger for this whole war. He's going to try and turn everyone onto each other."

"Sounds just like him," Tails commented. "What were you saying about a red-headed girl, Shadow?"

"I saw her with Amy on West Side Island. We need to look into her background…"

"Red-head…was her hair kind of faded? And did she look a bit sickly, too?"

"…Yeah. You know her?"

"I was at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology a few months ago, better known to everyone as the world-famous M.I.T. We talked for a bit about robotics and things of that nature. She was a nice girl…her name was Ellen Pearson."

"Pearson? Her parents are famous investors, aren't they?"

"Yeah, from what I've heard."

"How smart is she, Tails?"

"…Pretty darn smart. Probably on Eggman's level, if not beyond that."

"Even beyond you?"

He nodded earnestly. "She was throwing down some concepts that took me a few days to completely take in. Smart's an _understatement_, really."

"No doubt that she has her own plans…and with Amy Rose on her side. That girl's gotten to an entirely different level."

"Different level? What do you mean, Shadow?"

"I'll tell you on the way to your workshop. If Omega needs to be worked on, it sounds like the best place."

"Got it."

"I'll take everyone over with Chaos Control…time is of the essence."

Shadow focused and snapped his fingers, carrying everyone off in a flash of light.

* * *

It was now 10:30 in the morning, and Ellen Pearson was hard at work, along with her friend Amy Rose. While the red-head gave directions and made calculations, Amy ran about, flipping switches and moving parts into place at high speed. Several workers hired by Ellen did their jobs – mechanics, engineers, architects, to name a few. They stopped every so often to admire the work being done, and more importantly, the speed with which this work was being done.

It had been two hours, but the Oil Ocean had been completely transformed. Several buildings, outfitted with the latest wireless technology, had been put up. A refinery for raw materials, a communications tower, a housing filled from end to end with computers of all sorts. Some of it air-lifted in, some built straight from the ground upwards.

Ellen took a sip of water and looked over at the laptop screen to her right, noting the time left to compile the data needed for E-102 Gamma, mark 3. Good, it was coming along as planned. The aliens were already setting up shop, but that was of little concern at the moment. They would be dealt with in due time – everything had to be set up properly first, that was all.

In the meantime, making their way upwards into the skies were several large birds, larger than anyone had ever seen. Some flew over the airport where Reina's spacecraft was parked. Others, over the White House. Even more manned the skies around the G.U.N headquarters at Station Square, and various others circled the alien spacecraft in the skies.

These weren't ordinary birds, however. Eggman's latest technologies had yielded things of this nature, the robotic raptors known as the EXBH-10 series, or the 'Buster Hawk'. As they replaced the flapping of their alloy wings with the roar of thrusters, it would become clear why this was so. Their bodies became ramrod straight, and their heads shifted form to become long barrels. Suspended in the air, the whirring of energy could be heard before they all fired on their targets, simultaneously. The pure white blasts of energy came quickly, and without mercy.

The EXFL-11 'Flame Lion' series moved in 'prides', or groups. Soldiers from both Gloriole and Earth's G.U.N, staring down each other, didn't notice the burning robots until they slammed into them.

EXLW-14 was called the 'Launcher Whale', and it launched several surface to air missiles from just behind the defensive line created by G.U.N. They landed onto their targets precisely.

Panic followed soon after. Both sides were trying to figure out who was attacking what, and for what reason. The President's meeting with Reina was abruptly interrupted, and Reina received a transmission from her father, the Emperor of the Galactic Empire of Gloriole. His words were clear enough.

"It ends here."

She felt her blood run cold at that. The President caught her look of terror, and picked up his own phone.

"Gentlemen. **War has been declared.**"

* * *

"Sweet mother of…"

The skies were alight in gunfire, and the occupants of Tails' workshop stepped outside to look at the events in amazement.

"Has it started already? I thought we had more time!" Tails yelled out in confusion.

"What the hell…?" Knuckles was lost as well.

"Eggman…it just had to be him," Shadow concluded. "We were too late…"

"Is there anything we can do, then?" Tails asked.

"The best thing would be to neutralize both sides in some fashion. It won't be easy though, with most of us fragmented like this…"

Out of the corner of her eye, Rouge caught something. In another time and place, she would have dismissed it as something that wasn't really there. But here and now, her paranoia caused her to turn and notice Omega's movements. The robot raised one arm and aimed a laser at Shadow's back as he spoke.

The quick reaction had allowed the agent to shove the black hedgehog out of the way.

Rouge stared straight ahead; at the robot she had called a partner, a trusted comrade…a friend.

And she knew what came next.

* * *

Sonic stopped for a brief moment, feeling his heart drop into his sneakers. He could feel it…someone's light disappearing, just as he had seen it happen in the visions. Clenching his fists, he felt the tears run down his face, knowing that he was powerless to stop it from happening…knowing that he could do nothing but feel her fade away.

Composing himself somewhat, he charged ahead towards Station Square, towards where Elise and Wilhelmina would be. For _her_ sake…for everyone's sake, he had to try to change whatever he could.

He just had to try.

* * *

a/n: Thanks for reading so far up to this point. I appreciate the reviews and comments on what's happening.

As usual, I will do my best to make this as great a story as it can be. Let me know what you're thinking, everyone.


	9. Collision

Tails watched in horror as the scene unfolded in front of him. Shadow was sent into a tumble on the ground below him, pushed out of his former position. Knuckles was turning his head towards the robot and the position where Rouge was earlier. And Rouge…

The light had immediately drained from her eyes, leaving them blank and lifeless as she stood frozen in place, the beam of light tearing through her chest and out the other side. Even as it faded away, she stood there for what seemed like an eternity before falling to her knees.

"Rouge," he gasped in terror, finally reacting to what had happened. "Rouge…!"

She fell sideways and lay on the ground, motionless. Knuckles took off in a flash, trying to combat the robot that had fired the shot, but instead was forced to dodge machine-gun fire as he closed in. Shadow popped upwards onto his feet, confused at the goings on until he saw Rouge lying down behind him.

"What…?"

Tails launched himself forward, activating his Thunder Buster as he did so. Shadow…he could save her! He just needed time to do so! The fox fired a speeding blast towards the robot, forcing it to block with one arm as Knuckles clashed with the other. Spinning his twin tails quickly, Tails accelerated like a rocket and slammed the cannon into the robot's chest, charging up a massive burst of energy.

"Charge**…Shot!**" The attack tore right through Omega's circuits, sending the robot into 'unconsciousness', or what would be regarded as a standby mode in response to the damage. All the lighting on the robot's exterior went dark, and the huge robot fell unceremoniously to the ground in a heap.

"Good work, kid…" Knuckles nodded solemnly towards the young fox.

"Yeah…but Rouge, she…"

"There's still a chance. She could be…"

But as they neared where she lay, they could only see Shadow kneeling beside her, his face twisted up in uncertainty…or more like disbelief, like a child wondering at something he or she couldn't yet understand.

"Rouge…?" His voice was soft, softer than it had ever been in a long time, as if he wanted to gently wake her from her slumber. He had used his powers to repair the wound already…but as he looked into her dulled eyes, he knew what had happened.

He didn't want to accept it.

He _couldn't _accept it.

"Rouge…?" he asked again, a bit louder. Maybe…maybe she was just unconscious. That had to be it. Shadow convinced himself of that, or at least tried to…but as the tears came down, he knew.

"No…please, no…Rouge…"

Knuckles held a hand to his head, and felt his eyes start to water. She didn't deserve that…she didn't deserve any of that. He hadn't liked her when they had first met, but…she was…someone he felt a resonance with, somehow. Even though she was a thief, she had more heart than even the biggest philanthropist…and now…

Tails slumped to his knees as he too started crying, harder and harder each moment. She had been so much to him…like a favourite aunt of his, a family member that he had never had. Someone so bright and cheerful, so warm and kind to him…

But it was Shadow who expressed the pain they all felt at the moment. He clutched her body tightly as he screamed at the heavens above, cursing them for taking away his friend…someone he so dearly cared about, someone he had…come to love…

And then…then the rage rolled in. Visions of Maria danced in his head, the blood seeping from her body as she smiled at him, for the last time. He saw it over and over again, and at the same time, Rouge's words played in his head. About how they were going to betray him…and…

"_Even if the whole world turns their backs on you…you'll always have me facing you. Shadow…"_

His screams of agony only got louder.

"_I will die before I ever leave your side."_

* * *

Amy Rose held a hand over her heart at that moment. Something…disturbing had happened. Like a light being swallowed up by the darkness.

She silently prayed that none of her friends were hurt right now, but a feeling of dread lingered over her all the while. It had been like this since yesterday evening…what was the cause for it?

Maybe it was time to revisit something from her past…

* * *

"We managed to make it across the country, at the least…"

Elise walked cautiously along the streets of Station Square, the blonde-haired Wilhelmina Lewis beside her. The two had formed a friendship in their short time together, and had taken to each other's quirks in that same time. Elise was a cheerful, outgoing girl, while Wilhelmina was patient, quiet, and always willing to lend a hand, even at her own expense. What made it all the stranger to Elise was that this woman had been part of the 'Green Berets' that had been talked about, a special American military group. All of that intensive training, and yet…she was so peaceful, so youthful looking. Most said that being in the military robbed one of their youth, but looking at Wilhelmina Lewis, this didn't seem to be the case.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?"

"Yes, I am. I'm fine, thank you for asking."

"That's good to hear. We're going to my temporary living space in the city. It's a few blocks ahead."

"That sounds nice." True to her word, the pair reached a spacious apartment in the city's downtown core. Elise looked at the interior with awe, noting how beautifully decorated everything was.

"How wonderful…did you have all of this done, Wilhelmina?"

"No…this was Sonic's doing."

"Eh?" Elise looked at the blonde curiously with her blue eyes. "That hedgehog?"

"He's earned a lot of favours over the past few years…and he used some of them up on me. I never asked for it, but he's helped me so much, so he means a lot to me. That's why I want to do whatever he asks. Not just because of my nature as a soldier…but because he's someone so dear to me."

Elise nodded and smiled, watching Wilhelmina as her face glowed while she spoke. There really was a sense of joy when she talked about that Sonic fellow.

"That's good, that you feel that way about someone."

"Yes, it is." However, her smile concealed a secret, something that Sonic had told her some time ago, after showing up with a blue Chaos Emerald in one of his hands. A frantic story told her that he had seen visions of her dying…

But even after hearing that, and hearing that there was nothing he could do to stop it, she still gave him a smile and promised to be by his side. He acknowledged her commitment, but there was a heavy sadness in his eyes as he left. That look…it was changing, just a little bit. Determination was beginning to show up, even in the face of despair.

As if on cue, the doorbell sounded, and Wilhelmina went to get it, making sure to tuck a pistol behind her back just in case. After realizing that it was Sonic, she let him in.

"I…felt it, Wilhelmina. I felt her die."

His eyes were full of sadness again, she saw. "Who, sir…?"

"Rouge. You knew of her, I think."

She nodded. "I did. She had an interesting personality."

"Yeah, no doubt…" He fell silent again before addressing the situation. "You two should hold out for a few days here before Elise needs to go home. I'll be taking care of business."

"What kind of business?" Elise asked from the nearby kitchen.

"I'm gonna break an egg or two…" He mentioned nothing more before leaving.

"What was that all about?" Elise asked.

"…" _He's going after Eggman._ "It's nothing, just an old saying he likes to use."

"Oh, I see. Well, if you don't mind, I'll be taking a nap."

"Alright. Sleep well, Your Highness."

"Thank you."

As Elise left, Wilhelmina picked up her laptop and powered it on. Sonic had mentioned a few things going on that she could look into. Might do well to start on those right now.

* * *

People were forced to flee the streets of downtown Station Square as shrapnel started raining down from above. Sonic ran up the side of a skyscraper before leaping backwards off of it, twisting in midair to avoid an energy shot from one of the Buster Hawks before landing on it. Another one of the machines aimed at him, but ended up hitting its comrade as the blue hedgehog leaped up into the air. His vantage point was good enough to spot all of the metallic birds in the immediate area, and at that, his sneakers lit up with white light.

He spun into a buzzsaw and then shot through the bird point-blank at light speed, hitting the others ahead in just about the same period of time before landing on the side of a building and running down. The machines hung in the air for a moment before exploding into scrap.

Sonic turned and noted the familiar presence following him.

"We meet again, _doppelganger_."

Metal Sonic.

"…"

"I'm debating something in this mind of mine," he said evenly in his robotic voice. "After I break you, should I toss you to G.U.N? Or shall I end your life where you lie?"

"Sounds like a tough decision," Sonic replied calmly.

"Any suggestions?"

Even though the final outcome of those visions was set, Sonic also knew that he wasn't exempt from death or incapacitation, which would change everything dramatically at once. The end result he had seen was under the assumption that he was alive at that point…

"Might as well kill me if you win. I'm playing for keeps."

"An interesting decision."

"Glad you think so…" Making sure he was up to par, Sonic twisted a current of wind around his fingers. Good, he still had his bearings about him.

Metal Sonic did the same, sending an arc of electricity into his frame for a test run.

The two stared at each other for what seemed like an eternity before charging, dancing around each other as they looked for an opening in the other's defences. Metal Sonic saw one and thrust his sharp hand at Sonic's stomach. The hedgehog parried the attack and launched his own punch at the robot's midsection, denting it inwards a bit and sending him flying backwards. Metal's reverse thrusters kicked in before he shot right back at his copy, a murderous shine coming off his frame as electricity jumped all over it.

Sonic gathered energy into his right hand and thrust forward with it, a vortex of wind launching itself at the robot. Metal Sonic stopped for a moment and raised a shield of black energy to guard against the attack, blocking it completely. Sonic sped behind his opponent, noting that he had removed the one weakness of his Black Shield by making it a full sphere instead of just a forward shield.

No problem…just needed more brute force, then.

* * *

"Vector, I hope you're certain about this…"

"Trust me, buddy. I wouldn't be doing this if it were too dangerous."

"No, you wouldn't be doing this if the client weren't paying us such a large amount of money."

"Well, it helps, doesn't it?"

Espio the Chameleon sighed and went into radio silence once more. The Chaotix were under the employ of someone who very badly wanted reports on Eggman's activities, and was willing to pay an amazingly high price for said reports. Vector would hear no objections to taking the case, especially with the upfront payment being so much…and more still to come.

That red-headed girl…what could she possibly want information on Eggman for? Vector had sent her a transmission yesterday about the two machines that left this base, and apparently she had put it to good use.

"How far does this go…?" He shrugged off his curiosity for a moment and continued his reconnaissance inside the control room of the base. Eggman had sent out several animal-shaped units, and now the skies were alight with gunfire of all types. Looked like he had antagonized the aliens and G.U.N into attacking each other…a simple plan, but highly effective this time around. More ships came about, and Espio was wary of their tracking capabilities. He used the time to make his escape from the facilities.

"Vector…it seems that the war has begun."

"Yup, I can hear it from here," the crocodile commented from his office chair.

"There's a chance…"

"Aw, don't go all negative on me, Espio. We just got a monster job!"

"This is far more than any of us could have bargained for. We need to contact another group and see what our options are." He paused. "What about our client?"

"What about her?"

"We should see if we couldn't join her cause, whatever it may be. That way, we could get a greater scope on these circumstances."

"Hmm…" Vector pondered that for a moment. It would be useful info for later…and information was a deadly weapon in the right hands. "Okay, let's go for it."

"I'll talk to her personally."

"Sure that's a good idea?"

"I need you to monitor things outside of the playing field, and I can continue my operations anyways."

"Alright, sounds like a plan! Good luck, Espio."

"Right…" _Even the best need a bit of luck,_ the chameleon mused as he took off. The destination was the Oil Ocean on West Side Island.

* * *

Amy was in a newly built room, and had her tarot cards laid out in front of her. There was a terrible shiver going up and down her spine, as she looked them over.

"That…" No, that couldn't be right. They were all pointing to one thing, the end…the end of **everything**.

"I don't believe this. There must be a way to change this outcome…"

Something she overlooked…she saw it now. Somehow, she would be fine when all was said and done, but the people closest to her would all disappear, in one way or another.

Was that what she felt earlier? Had someone she'd known…?

"Amy? Are you alright?" Ellen had come to check up on her friend.

"No…I'm not…okay…"

"Amy?" A look of concern was on the red-head's face as she rushed over. "Tell me what's wrong."

"I…I can't. Not yet. I have to…see him. Right now."

"Who? Who do you mean?"

"Sonic. I have to talk to Sonic. I have to talk to him, right now."

"Why so urgently?"

"I can't say. If I do, it'll change everything. It'll turn everything upside down."

"Amy…if that's so, then…" Ellen relented and let the hedgehog go. "Go and see him as quickly as possible."

"Thank you…I…I'm sorry about…"

"It's fine. I know that you would tell me if you could."

"Thank you, Ellen…I'll be back soon."

"Yeah."

Amy ran outside and placed one hand over her heart as she focused her energies.

"Chaos…"

"Amy! Amy, wait!"

Ellen ran up to her just then. "I just got the news...Sonic…he's being hunted by G.U.N. They've authorized lethal force…and they're saying that he's killed someone, as well!"

"Killed…?"

"One of their agents…her name was Rouge the Bat."

The pink hedgehog felt her heart stop.

"He…**what?**"

"He's in Station Square right now. Amy…"

"I'm going to get to the bottom of this," she said angrily. "I'll talk to him myself."

"Just be careful. If G.U.N thinks-"

"They can think what they want…but God help them if they get in my way. Chaos…**Control!**"

With that, Amy disappeared in a flash of light.

* * *

This was something out of a horrible nightmare, Sonic thought. He was confronting Metal Sonic, just about to tear through his defence when a tank shell nearly took his head off and tore apart a nearby building. He and Metal looked for the source of the shooting and noticed several G.U.N weapons and mechs trained onto them.

Metal pressed his attack, ignoring the gunfire that was meant for his rival. Sonic struggled to keep pace with the robot, earning an electrified stab to the chest while trying to dodge a laser shot from an artillery piece. He stumbled back in pain before recovering enough to land a hard kick to the robot's head, shattering an electronic eye and sending him skidding along the asphalt in a show of sparks.

"Shoot…"

Now he was alone and wounded, against a psychotic robot copy and what seemed to be most of the military units in the country.

"Surrender, Sonic. We'll let you off easy if you come in and confess."

The message blared from the megaphone confused Sonic. "Confess…to what?"

"The kidnapping of Princess Elise-"

"I already copped to that!"

"-and the murder of Rouge the Bat."

Sonic grit his teeth in anger. "You bastards…you're the ones who got her killed! Don't try to pin that on me!"

"We might be able to negotiate life with some sort of parole. If you resist and we catch you then, you're as good as dead. The murder of a federal agent doesn't sit well with any judge in this part of the world, hedgehog."

"Go to hell…! I'm not going to say that I killed her!"

"You're giving us little choice, Mister Hedgehog."

"You…!"

"You don't need to say anything else, Sonic."

Appearing in front of him was the Ultimate Life Form, known to all as Shadow the Hedgehog.

"It's over."

Sonic stepped back, ready to fight with all he had. But Shadow shook his head at him.

"I haven't come for you." The look in Shadow's eyes…it was the same as the first time they met, Sonic realized.

That time when he wanted to destroy everything, the time when he hated the very existence of humanity…that time when he cared little for any life that wasn't important to his aims.

That Shadow…he had returned, and he was showing no mercy.

"The human race…has robbed me for the last time."

"**Sonic!**"

"Wha-!" With barely any time to react, Sonic turned to face a lunging Knuckles, his fist pulled back and ready to strike. But at the same instant, a pink blur shot in front of him and parried the attack cleanly with an arm.

"Amy…"

"Amy?" Knuckles shouted in genuine shock.

"Sonic…I'm here, okay?"

All he could do was nod once in response. He then turned to block a strike from Metal Sonic as he came down from above.

"So, you can still fight…"

It seemed like this was the turning point…for everything. Sonic just hoped he'd live through this insanity to see the outcome.


	10. Script

The rage inside of Shadow was overwhelming, and it showed in the form of his powers. He shredded through the F-6 Big Foots and their variations with his bare hands, as if they were melted butter. The men and women on the ground were not any luckier. The black hedgehog showed no emotion as he raised two fingers to a soldier and ran him through with a Chaos Spear.

This caused the others to focus their fire onto him, but before any of them could react, Shadow had disappeared from his position before reappearing in the midst of them.

"Oh, sh-!"

"**Chaos Blast!**"

The humans around him were then obliterated…not even a trace of them remained from the attack. The ones who remained stood far back, uncertain of what actions they should take…what actions they even _could_ take against a being of such power. Shadow walked out of the crater he had created and towards the rest of his quarry.

He would not be stopped. Not by anyone or anything.

In the meantime, Sonic and Metal Sonic skipped from rooftop to rooftop above Station Square, their limbs clashing at high speed and sending booming shockwaves through the air. Wind and lightning sliced through the spaces between them, their elements clashing constantly with each other.

Metal Sonic had wanted to believe that the organic being had started to reach his limit after clashing against metal for so long, but his attacks were coming with more and more intensity as the fight wore on. His eyes were somehow steeled, moreso than the robot had ever noted.

Sonic reached for the robot's head and smashed it against his own, drawing blood while almost permanently scrambling his copy's sensors. Part of his good eye now had a crack in it as well, impairing at least 5.5% of his vision…that blasted organic. He was getting bolder by the minute.

"Metal! What is it that you're doing?"

The voice of his creator rang out through the audio equipment inside of his head.

"I am currently engaging Sonic."

"Disengage immediately and return to base. Something's amiss, and I need to find out what it is."

"…" If the robot could snarl, he would. This opportunity to eliminate Sonic…wasted.

"…" Sonic stood in his battle stance, waiting for the robot's next move. His muscles were still tensed up until the point where he saw Metal Sonic disappear into the clouds above.

_Probably new orders from Eggman. I'll worry about that shortly…right now, I'll check out what's going down with the others._

"Sonic?"

He turned his head and saw Tails land on the edge of the roof.

"Hey there, bro. I know you've got a lot of questions…"

The fox nodded. "Can you answer any of them reliably, Sonic?"

"I don't see why not…if you're still willing to listen to a thief."

"Sonic…I've never doubted your judgement at these times. If you took the Chaos Emerald, I knew there would be a good reason for it. Whatever you can tell me, Sonic…I'm all ears."

"Yeah. No point in keeping you out of the loop any longer, kid…but I've got a few things I need to keep close to my chest. Y'want the long version or the short one?"

"Never mind that, Amy needs our help!"

"Amy? Nah, she's fine."

"Sonic, what are you saying? You know how strong Knuckles is, right?" Tails said with worry.

"'Course I do," he said with a smile. "Which is why I know that he won't get too far against her."

* * *

Knuckles was fuming at this point in time. None of this made any sense at all! He had trained for so long while on the island, only to be matched in strength by Amy Rose, of all the hedgehogs there were in existence. Shadow or Sonic, he wouldn't have minded as much…but this was just insanity. He had to end this and get back to Sonic, so that he could tear him apart for stealing that Emerald…

"It's about time…I finish this!" He dropped back and lit a fist up with electricity before punching forwards at Amy.

"**Thunder Arrow!**"

Knowing that she wouldn't have enough time to dodge, Amy placed both of her hands forward, making a heart shape with her thumbs and index fingers.

"**Storming Hearts!**"

The pink burst collided with Knuckles' attack in mid-air, throwing up smoke and debris in a thick cloud between them. Amy then noticed it getting warmer around her…

"Looks like I'll have to use it earlier than I thought. Hope it works out okay…"

She placed a hand over her chest, focusing her energies. At that moment, Knuckles shot forward at an incredible speed, his fists completely covered in white-hot flame. Amy's eyes widened at the display.

_Overkill, much?_

"Eat this!"

"Here I go…**Chaos Sleight!**"

Knuckles swung as hard as he could, throwing a vicious right hook that covered the entire area in a wave of flames. What remained of the asphalt below was liquefied and bubbling from the extreme heat.

"Maybe I overdid it…?" the echidna muttered. Sonic probably wouldn't be happy about this.

"Maybe just a _little_," a voice replied sarcastically. Knuckles turned to see Amy a ways behind him, fanning herself with her hands. The heat wouldn't do any sort of good for her quills. "Were you honestly trying to kill me, there?"

"Well, I-" He cut himself off, remembering why he was so fired up in the first place. "Hey, shut up! If you weren't so busy showing off, it wouldn't have gotten to that point!"

She shook her head. It was somewhat soothing to know that Knuckles hadn't changed too much. But only somewhat.

"How did you get that kind of power? Did you do something to yourself?"

"All I did was train, Knuckles."

"I find that highly unlikely. There had to be something else."

"No, that's all there is to it. I trained as hard as I could."

"Then why disappear like that? Sonic was worried about you for a good while."

"I know…I just didn't want to be a burden to anyone, anymore. I don't want to see him getting hurt protecting me, and I'm sick of being helpless. I didn't mean to worry anyone, but…"

"You just needed to be alone."

She nodded in response. Knuckles felt that he could understand her line of thinking at least a little now.

"I need to talk to Sonic…so I'll see you soon, Knuckles. Keep up the good work, okay? You look a lot stronger than before." She gave him a wink before leaving.

"Eh? Well, I have been working out," he said to himself proudly. "Wait…Sonic! I should have followed her…" Knuckles hit himself in the head. He had to stop making mistakes like that!

The echidna took off in his own search for Sonic. The screaming from those G.U.N soldiers in Shadow's path made him wince a bit as he ran.

* * *

"So…you can see the future?"

"More or less. It's set in stone for the most part, but there are things that I can change."

"Did you see…I mean, about Rouge…"

Sonic sighed. "Yeah…it hurt, you know? Not being able to do anything for her."

"Yeah…"

He patted the young fox on the shoulder. "It's not your fault…you did what you could."

"It's still so painful." The hedgehog's ears perked up as footsteps sounded on the gravel around them. He relaxed himself as Amy came into view.

"Hey, there."

"Hey," she said softly. "Sonic, I heard about everything. I know that what they're saying isn't true."

"Half of it."

"Say again…?"

"I did organize a kidnapping. But as for Rouge, I'd never do that sort of thing to her. You saw Shadow, right? He's completely lost it…"

"I know…but then, why? Why do something like that? And the Chaos Emerald…"

"Like I was telling Tails, I saw something when I touched the Master Emerald the first time. The Chaos Emerald is keeping me connected to that vision."

Amy felt her heart speed up. "You mean…you can see it…"

"…"

_It's the same as my tarot reading…but…_ "How much can you…?"

"…Everything."

"Can we change anything? Is there something that we can do?"

"A few things. Just changing those little things could affect the ending in full."

"You mean like kidnapping the Princess."

He nodded. "I've gotta make sure that she stays safe, or else we're screwed. There are other things I need to do, as well."

"What about Shadow?"

"It's too late to do anything about him. He's bent on destroying G.U.N at the moment, and we'll become targets if we try to stop him. He's gonna be flying solo from here on out." Sonic clenched his fists tightly. "The end's coming into focus, at least."

"What about myself and Ellen?"

"That'll go in the direction that it's going in right now. Make sure that you keep her safe, though…she's one of the variables."

"And Eggman?" Tails asked.

"Eggman'll get what's coming to him in due time…it'll be obvious when." Sonic kept his information to a minimum, for their sakes. They didn't need to know the exact things that would happen…knowing that would fill them with despair, and that would be the worst possible thing. As long as they all had hope, the future could change, just enough so that everything would work out.

Amy…she'd be one to make it when it was all said and done. Everyone else, even Tails…he had seen it all beforehand, but none of the pain at seeing it was dulled. Rouge's passing still cut into him deeply.

"Knuckles is going to be after you," Amy noted.

"Yeah, I know. But I can't give up this Chaos Emerald any time soon. He's just gonna have to suck it up. Tails, you get back to the workshop and figure out a course of action for dealing with those aliens. Amy, you should get to safety yourself. I'm going down to Spagonia U to see the Professor."

"Make sure that you're careful, Sonic." She looked at him earnestly. "If anything were to happen to you…"

"Right." He started to take off, but stopped and turned back to Amy. "I know why you went away that time. You were trying to build yourself up, right? I can understand that, but…well, don't take this the wrong way, but it's a waste of time for someone like you."

Her eyes widened at that. "Sonic…what are you trying to say…?"

"What I'm saying is that you need to remember what you had before that training business you started. You need to make sure that you still have that part of you to draw from…your true strength, Amy. If you forget that, all that strength you've gained means nothing."

"I don't understand," she said with confusion. "I wasn't anything special in the past. I tried to change because I was a burden, and now you're asking me to draw from strength that wasn't there? Sonic…I don't get it."

"Just don't forget who you are, who you've always been. That shouldn't be hard to understand, right? I'll see you around."

He took off in a burst of speed, racing down the building they were on and back onto the streets.

Amy stood in place, trying to absorb his words. _The person I've always been…? True strength? What could he mean by that? Before, I couldn't even take care of myself without getting into trouble. What kind of strength is he talking about from those days?_

"Are you okay, Amy?" She looked over at Tails before pulling him close to her in a hug.

"I'm fine, don't worry. Listen…I'll stay right here as long as you need me, okay?"

"Thank you…" He pressed himself closer to her, trying to push the memories of the day further back in favour of her warmth. She sighed softly, looking up into the sky as she stroked his head with one hand.

_What does the future hold for us all…? How much haven't you told us, Sonic?_


	11. Chase

Sonic booms tore through the ocean waters, a blue blur appearing only for a moment before moving on at top speed. He had already hit three times the speed of sound, running on top of the North Pacific Ocean and heading westward.

Thinking for an instant, he altered his direction further northward, his trail leading him towards the mainland and the edge of Russia. Sonic thought about visiting Moscow again, but this wasn't the time to really make any detours. He tore across the inhabited part of the massive country towards his destination. Hopefully, he would make good time to Spagonia. Shamar wasn't too far, either, but Sonic suspected that the Professor would be lecturing this time of year.

The hedgehog pushed his speed up to Mach 4 with little effort. Hopefully, the Russian Air Force wouldn't catch on too quickly.

* * *

"Ah, I see. So you want to make those two jobs into one. I think I can help with that."

Ellen Pearson had just met with her contact in the Chaotix Detective Agency, Espio the Chameleon. After listening to his offer, she willingly accepted it and went on to talk terms.

They both knew what the score was from the outset. There would be no games when it came to this.

"That sounds good," the chameleon said after listening to her conditions.

"I assume you'll want to speak to your boss?"

"We've already spoken. He's left this matter in my hands."

"…Very nice." She pushed up her glasses and walked over to a large monitor on one side of the room they were in. "So you know my plans, the goal that I'm reaching for?"

"I understand them clearly."

"Excellent. I need you to obtain an item for me." Pressing a button on the keyboard below the monitor, the screen lit up and revealed a collection of information. "The amount of time isn't important, but you must retrieve that item for me. Can it be done, Espio?"

"It _will_ be done," the chameleon said confidently.

"I want you to stop in Apotos and await further instructions. If that location becomes compromised in any way, move to either Switzerland or Berlin at the earliest convenience."

"Understood."

"Good luck," she said with a smile.

Espio nodded before disappearing in a cloud of smoke.

"It's almost here," Ellen said, her smile becoming wider with each moment. "I'll have it all, in just a bit more time…"

Her fingers flew across the keyboard, inputting commands that would guide the facilities around her to her will. First thing was first; she needed to complete E-102 mk. III. Contacting Amy was next; she needed to finish an objective as well. Last was…

"Oh…"

She coughed violently as her body turned in onto her once more, blood filling her mouth until she spit it onto the floor below.

"This…I can't have…this…"

Time wasn't being friendly with her, was it? No matter…she'd have as much time as she needed when this was all done. She would succeed.

There was no other option than that.

* * *

Ivo Robotnik was beginning to worry.

He had suspected that something was wrong when his attacks went unopposed for the most part, the ambushes on the soldiers being largely successful with only a few losses on his side.

Now, the notorious villain known as Doctor Eggman was on high alert. His monitoring of Metal Sonic's systems showed an uncanny amount of damage for the brief scuffle he had been in. Metal Knuckles and Tails Doll had been incapacitated for who knew how long – their data had been scrambled and would take another few minutes to decode – and what was the strangest thing of all was…

That hedgehog.

Not the one who ruined his plans every other month, but the pink one. It took him a while to remember who exactly she was. Amy Rose, was it? She had destroyed one of his bases a few months prior, with Shadow overlooking her but not actually doing anything. Had she somehow gotten stronger in that short amount of time? The energy signals he had taken from Metal Sonic's data, when extrapolated from the small amount of data he had on her (and this was only thanks to the records he obtained all that time ago from ZERO in the first place) matched up with an eerie perfection. It made the doctor wonder what exactly was going on with her.

Sonic was his other worry, since he had done literally nothing besides damage Metal Sonic, and that was likely because the robot had provoked him into battle in the first place. Then came the reports that G.U.N was after him for kidnapping and murder.

"Princess of Soleanna…murder of…"

The doctor leaned back in his chair as he read over the reports. None of that added up at all. He had also intercepted reports that Shadow was decimating G.U.N forces in a berserker rage. The Chaos Emeralds had disappeared from the face of the planet, save for _possibly_ one, but that could very well be a fake – he had nearly been fooled by one before.

He clenched a fist in frustration. Genius meant nothing if there were so many things that one could not control. There was not a full picture on the things that he wanted.

"And I can't blame that meddlesome hedgehog for this, can I…?"

An alert flashed in one corner of the screen he was watching. Some moron was trying to hijack his feed. Well, if they were going to use so much effort…

"Let's hear what these fools have to say, shall we?" He switched over to their 'channel', and noted that it was one of the aliens. The footage from the meeting with the President and that alien Princess (obviously, he had bugged the room at some point) had actually served useful, to the doctor's amusement. The one on the screen right now was seated in a large throne, with elaborate carvings in it and jewels along the armrests. His hair and eyes were both red, and he had a serious look about himself.

Probably trying to be tough, Eggman figured with a smirk.

"Greetings…_citizens_ of Planet Earth," he said in an almost bored tone. "I am the Emperor of the Galactic Empire of Gloriole. You may call me **Emperor Helios Hyperion**, but if that is too much for your feeble minds, simply call me one of those names," he said while waving a hand dismissively, "but Emperor is most preferable."

"As you have seen, we have already invaded your planet. We'll 'cut the preamble', 'skip the foreplay', as you Earthlings like to say so fondly. All vulgar sayings aside, if you're smart, you'll give yourselves up as soon as possible. Otherwise, you'll die. Anyone in a military uniform of any kind is signing their own death warrant."

_How crude,_ the doctor thought to himself. _A race of aliens, yet they're no different from the common barbarian. What use would it be to let these fools take over the Earth?_

"Be forewarned, the full might of our army will descend upon the planet in about…five of your Earth minutes. I have nothing more to say, so thank you for your time. Remember to spare yourselves some pain…and _us_ some messy clean-ups." The transmission cut at that point.

"Hmph." Another two alerts came in just then. The first was informing him that Metal Knuckles and Tails Doll were transmitting signals again. The second was…another feed hijack?

"This time from the United Federation…and another one, from Soleanna."

This would be _very _interesting.

* * *

Wilhelmina cursed under her breath, running with Elise as fast as she could towards a parking lot. The cars weren't heavily guarded…good.

"H-hey! What are you doing?"

"Saving our lives. We won't make it to the airport fast enough any other way, not with this panic."

"But all the flights-"

"That problem's been solved." The blonde worked open the driver's side door and then went to work on the ignition. This was a fairly old car, so it'd do her some good.

"Are you sure about this?"

"I am." The answer was firm as Wilhelmina rotated herself upwards into the driver's seat, having finished the hot-wiring of the car. Everything was in working order, so it was time to go. "Your Highness, please step in."

Elise gulped and nodded, running around to the passenger's side and getting inside quickly. They both locked in their seatbelts.

"Ready?"

The princess nodded nervously. "Ready…"

The tires screeched and kicked up smoke from the asphalt before the car pulled away, racing out of the parking lot and onto the streets of Station Square.

They could not know that they had been watched the entire time.

* * *

"So _that's_ why you're after Sonic. I understand, now. But I still think that he did the right thing."

"The right thing? If that Chaos Emerald falls into the wrong hands-!"

"But it hasn't yet. And it won't, because Sonic's not going to let that happen."

"You…you're so naïve, always letting your views of him cloud your judgement…"

Back at Tails' workshop, Amy and Knuckles argued over Sonic's actions while the young fox tweaked his remaining version of the Tornado. Of all the things that were going wrong already, at least this was going in the right direction.

_The old girl's nearly at 100 percent, and that's more than enough for now._

He patted the frame gently, heading inside past the arguing to wash his hands.

"My judgement? Clouded? Oh…oh-ho-ho-ho! You…! You're one to talk, _Knucklehead_!" she sneered.

"What was that, _powder-puff_?" he shot back, raising his fists.

"Hey!" They turned to the workshop's owner. "If you two are gonna throw down-"

Amy shook her head, dropping herself onto the nearby couch. "Sorry…I just…"

"We're all frustrated, I know. But fighting's not gonna solve everything…much less anything."

"…Tails is right," Knuckles admitted. "We need to figure out our next course of action." He gave Amy a look. "But I can't in my right mind join you and your friend, Amy. I'm sorry."

"I understand…you've got your responsibilities. At least stick with Tails, okay?" she said with concern.

"Never planned on leaving the kid by himself for too long…no offence," he said to the fox.

"None taken. Sonic would be around, if he could be."

"Where'd he go, anyways? You never told me, after I caught up with you guys."

"He said he was heading for Spagonia," Amy replied. "To see Professor Pickle."

"Doesn't he know that the whole world's looking for him?"

"He knows. Whatever he's going to see the Professor for, it's probably pretty important. Otherwise, he wouldn't risk leaving that princess alone," Tails commented. "And thinking about it…"

"What? What is it?" Knuckles asked.

"I think I really need to go. There's a chance that Princess Elise is in big trouble, and would need some help. Knuckles, I'll take you over to Angel Island as fast as I can. Amy, you said you had some work to do?"

"Unfortunately..."

"Take care of that, and then contact me as soon as possible. After that, I can patch up Omega, and then prevent G.U.N from messing with him any more. At worst, he'll kill me on sight. At best, he could help us out, or even stabilize Shadow a bit. Either way, he's an important piece of this chess match that's going on."

"Sounds dangerous," Amy commented.

"Sounds like a plan. Let me know what's going on as soon as you can," Knuckles said.

"Roger that," the fox replied.

* * *

Sonic had reached Spagonia without much incident, but he saw the devastation that had been dealt to the once proud and majestic city. The streets were virtually void of people, save for the ones still running for shelter. Streets were torn apart, buildings were ruined and shot into pieces, and the overall atmosphere was stifling…

"Darn…"

He could make out the alien forces from his hiding spot, underneath a pile of rubble. Most of them looked human, with white body armour all over them. Like…that one movie. Star Wars, he remembered. Those fodder guys, except these aliens had gilded helmets and metallic wings sweeping upwards from each side. And they didn't look too goofy, either.

The leaders were different: gold coloured and with massive wings along with the armour. There were what appeared to be swords on their sides, only these could be lit up with a brilliant red glow – probably for better cutting power, the hedgehog figured. The normal grunts had some kind of futuristic ray gun…Sonic had tried to block the image of a woman being shot with the thing, first falling to the ground in a stunned state before disappearing into nothingness as the wind blew.

He saw one of the sword wielding leaders moving about, with a bundle…wait. It couldn't be.

"…" Sonic focused himself, trying to pick out the energies in the area. He noticed one just ahead of him…a human. A small one.

"Oh, crap."

Besides that, he could feel the other energies moving back towards him. He got into a crouching position and pumped energy into his legs before blasting out of the rubble, just before it was turned into dust by a barrage of beam blasts. Sonic ran up the side of a building and jumped high into the air, spinning around to lock onto his target.

"Just as I thought…"

His shoes lit up in white light, and he shot forward, just about to slam into the alien soldier. Sonic tagged the little girl struggling against his arm with a finger; it was more than enough.

"**Chaos Control!**"

In a flash of light, Sonic was on the outskirts of Spagonia, holding the child in his arms as he ran. She had grown a little since they had last met…

"Mister Sonic…?"

"How're you doing, Ippolita?"

"Fine now, thanks to you…"

He nodded. "Good to hear. I'm sorry that…I couldn't save anyone else…"

"S'not your fault, Mister Sonic…"

_I know, but still…_

He shook the thought out of his head. "We're going to see Professor Pickle in Shamar. Any objections, Ippolita?"

"Nope…"

"Good on ya. Here we go…!"

Sonic pushed himself a bit faster, knowing that if he didn't hurry, he'd probably have every other air force in the world on his tail. Not that he hadn't wasted enough time already, shaking the German _Luftwaffe _after an ill-advised turn-off…


	12. Elevation

Day was changing into night, and with that change, relief would come.

It was an unexpected turn when the Gloriolians, or 'Halo Knights' as they were called, retreated into the skies as the sun set on the sands of the Middle East. Shamar was visible from where Sonic and Ippolita rested, the village burning and razed, but at least still standing in one way or another.

Sonic held the girl close to him, feeling her shivering as the desert winds brought in a chill. He had found a piece of cloth floating ahead on his run towards the desert village, and snatched it out of the air with his sharp reflexes. It now served as a source of warmth and comfort for the little Spagonian girl, as she tried to sleep peacefully. Earlier, the reality of what had happened to the people she knew and loved had finally hit her, full force. All the hedgehog could do was comfort her as she cried for what seemed like hours on end, wailing for her grandmother and her friends to come back to her.

The Chaos Emerald had told him nothing about her future, so he made a decision to protect her in any way that he could. If she could at least live in peace when this was all over, then hope could spring in her heart once more.

Sonic gently picked her up and moved from the rock he was sitting on. His destination was already determined, and it was also where the Professor had moved to. Shamar was too dangerous - _anywhere_ on the surface was right now.

Only one place left to be.

* * *

Tails had worked tirelessly throughout the night, having figured out that the Halo Knights didn't want anything to do with the planet when the Sun was absent from its surface. Sonic had 10 hours up on Station Square, and it was about 8 PM in Shamar.

It was 10 AM on the American West Coast. A G.U.N sergeant greeted his troops with a 'Good morning, gentlemen. Welcome to Hell'. It was a fitting description for what the mainland had become.

Explosions sounded off in all directions, the city crumbling as soldiers from both sides tore through the infrastructure like cheap toilet paper. The city that had barely bounced back onto its feet after the Perfect Chaos saga was being torn into once more, and there was a chance that there would be nothing left to rebuild from when it was all said and done.

On Angel Island, Knuckles guarded the Master Emerald, albeit impatiently. The aliens were watching him, waiting for his next move. He didn't like leaving Tails by himself in a time like this. Those idiot hedgehogs had run off to do their own things instead of looking after him.

Then again, the walking gunship he was trying to fix could remedy some of that worry. But only _some _of it, the guardian thought stubbornly.

"Why don't you buck up and do something," he muttered to the ships above him. They looked more or less like giant, flying, chrome boxes, just floating in the sky with an excess of cannons pointed forward on their frames. There were missile doors all over their surfaces as well, the guardian noted after some inspection with a good source of light.

_Someone's overcompensating…_

He had caught the broadcasts the day before, watching the hijacked feeds one after the other on the television Tails had hooked up for him. That Helios or whatever guy was pretty boring, sounded like an overconfident jerk. Like Sonic, if he were a jackass.

"…"

Maybe that wasn't a unique enough description…

The next message came from the American President, also effectively the leader of the United Federation's forces against the alien threat. In an entirely too long speech, he pretty much told the people of Earth not to give up against the aliens. They had beaten some before, and they would do so again.

Convenient how he forgot to mention how _the Ultimate Lifeform helped them beat said alien threat_. Now with Shadow gone insane and swearing vengeance against all humanity, their battle would be uphill, to say the least.

Last and most interesting was the message from the Duke of Soleanna. He only asked for three things: that the people of Earth continue fighting the good fight, his daughter's whereabouts, and her safe return. This was evidently backed by the United Federation…which made the echidna's head spin with the information he had gotten from Tails, who had gotten _that_ from Sonic. The two governments were supposed to be at each other's throats, but now they were buddy-buddy? Although he didn't _want _to trust any information from that thieving hedgehog, Knuckles had to admit that he was closer to the source than anyone else.

"And visions, too…what the hell could have scared _him_ that badly?" the echidna mused. "They also want that princess pretty desperately…but tactical knowledge tells me that the aliens will make a point of holding her hostage, or even killing her…and that throws a wrench in Sonic's plans, because he apparently needs her alive. But nobody knows why that is…man."

Knuckles shook his head and lay back against the Master Emerald on the ground.

"This shrine…it was only supposed to be a backup, a monument to the times of old. I hid the Master and the Chaos Emeralds inside the Hidden Palace to keep them safe…" He snorted. "_That_ turned out real well. Sky Sanctuary came down on top of everything, so now I'm stuck out here, no thanks to that Eggman…"

That was another thing troubling the echidna. Besides apparently triggering this entire war, what was he doing? Was he waiting for something? Someone? He had been so inactive that it was almost creepy.

And then there was that girl Tails was talking about, Ellen-whoever. Amy was working with her, too. What was her deal?

"…I need a nap."

He put all complicated ideas out of his mind for the time being, focusing on rest. His senses as always were still on high alert – a growl as one of the Halo Knights tried to encroach on his property was proof enough.

* * *

Espio continued his search for the mission target as he spoke with Vector on the same morning.

"You're sure about that, Esp? Makes me wonder what a smart girl like that would want with something so…I dunno, obscure? And only one of 'em?"

"Believe me; I have questioned her reasons for wanting this object myself. I think we will find out soon enough, once I retrieve it and return it to her. It should be close, from what I recall."

"Sheesh. You'd think that it was all in the past," the crocodile said with a sigh. He sipped his morning coffee while at his desk. It was entirely too strong, but he sucked it up for the time being.

"Apparently, it wasn't all _that_ far," Espio replied. "I think I have it." The chameleon stood in a midst of scrap metal, having fished through some of it to retrieve a single part: one fuel cell, which seemed to be modified in some fashion. Espio's intuition told him that it was because of Chaos Energy.

"Good job, buddy. Oh, I wanted to ask you something."

"Go ahead," he replied as he made his way back to base.

"Did you sense any…you know…?"

"Her heart is clear of any significant darkness. You know it well; all of us on this plane have darkness in our hearts…it is how we control it that defines us. But…"

"But what?"

"There is a cry coming from her soul. A fear of what is to come for her. She is dying, Vector, and wishes desperately to live on."

"You think she'll do anything crazy?"

"No," Espio replied. "Nothing like what you're thinking."

Vector scratched his head at the information. A rich girl like Ellen Pearson just _had_ to have an M.O. to her actions. Nothing made sense otherwise.

Then again, it could be that he wasn't trying to look at it from another angle. Heck, Sonic was pretty much like her in a lot of ways. He just saved people and stopped Eggman because…he could do it. No rhyme or reason to it at all. Speaking of him…

"Hey, Espio. If you come across Sonic at all, give me a shout."

"Sonic?"

"Yeah. You've heard the news, haven't you?"

"No, I have not."

"Apparently he kidnapped Soleanna's princess and murdered a G.U.N agent. You remember Rouge, right?"

Espio had just broken into a sprint towards the coastal town a few miles away. "Those two apparently had history already…why would he kill her?"

"Beats me. Just let me know if you see him, okay?"

"Right."

Vector leaned back in his chair. The story reeked of government meddling…if Sonic was the culprit, why would Shadow be going off on G.U.N like that? In addition, it was suspicious how all of a sudden that princess was so important…

"Huh. Better take a look at this in detail. Yo, Charmy! Get me my laptop, will ya!"

The hyperactive bee flew in and dropped the computer from above, forcing Vector to scramble to catch it.

"Sorry about that, lost my grip!"

"You…" He had something come to his mind just then. "Where'd Mighty go?"

"Mighty? He said that he went to the lock-up."

"There's only two things in the lock-up…I guess it makes sense that he'd go and get _them_ all of a sudden. Anyways, since I have Tails' e-mail address, I'll drop him a line. Maybe if he gets out of that fire pit called Station Square, he can help us out with something."

* * *

Tails was riding on one of Omega's shoulders when he received the message. "Mail from…Vector? It's been a while, huh? Hm, let's see…if I get the time, maybe I can look at his toys for a bit. Omega, how far do we have to go?"

"Five-point-two-six-kilometres and closing," the revived machine rumbled. Tails had closed the gaping hole, replaced the wiring, and reset the robot's original programs to normal – normal meaning that he was still a killing machine, still liked Shadow, and still hated Eggman, which was a good day as far as the fox was concerned. He was tired from the lack of sleep, but it had been worth it.

_Sonic's probably pushed himself a lot harder…he's probably doing so right now. I can't slow down, even a bit! The future's in danger!_

"Let's pick up speed, Omega!" Tails stuffed his laptop into his backpack and slung it on as he ran. His twin tails spun quickly, boosting him forward even faster and leaving him to hover over the streets slightly. In response, Omega put more power into his thrusters and kept pace.

In the meantime, almost four kilometres away, Wilhelmina and Elise weaved through the chaotic traffic and made their way closer to the airport, where the plane they were to use was waiting. The radio had given them enough real-time information to adjust their plans accordingly.

"My father's working with the Federation now? And they're saying that Sonic killed someone! Is that true, Wilhelmina?"

"No, it isn't."

"I wonder…why wouldn't Soleanna just look for me by themselves?"

_It's a good question,_ Wilhelmina said to herself. _Just one that won't be answered readily._

"Do you have any strange..." She stopped, trying to form her words properly.

"Strange what?"

"What I mean to say is-"

A strange feeling of weightlessness took over them just then, and the world was spinning around the two, quite literally. It took a moment for Wilhelmina to realize that they were somehow in the air, and she reacted by reaching for the combat knife holstered to her upper thigh, using it to cut through her seatbelt and Elise's. She flung open the passenger-side door and power-climbed upwards as the car tilted, carrying Elise out with her as she did. They both hovered ten feet above the ground for a moment, Wilhelmina grabbing Elise as she fell to earth, back first.

The princess could only feel slightly jarred as she heard metal crumple inwards from an impact.

"What…just happened?"

Slowly releasing herself from her protector's grip, she saw that she was on top of a car, somehow. The car that they were in, the one that they had stolen…it was on the other side of the street, smashed to bits.

"Are you alright, Elise?"

"I'm fine." She then gasped as she pieced together everything that had gone on. Had Wilhelmina…done all of that, in such a short space of time? Her outline was clearly visible in the roof of the car they had landed on.

"What I should be asking is…are _you_ okay, Wilhelmina?"

"The landing was a little hard, but otherwise fine," she said with a smile. She checked for her combat knife – good, it was back in place. Taking Elise's hand, she ran forward.

"Are we still heading to the airport?"

"Yes, but in a different way. The AirLink starts at this next stop on the train, rather conveniently."

"Won't someone recognize me?"

"They're too busy panicking right now. Besides, it's only three or so stops. Once we get there, we'll have to take an alternate route…"

They were still being watched. A floating gold ball with wings had tracked their every movement, and was reporting it to the flagship high in the atmosphere. A crystal 'eye' read their data and reported one of the humans to be Princess Elise III, heir to the Kingdom of Soleanna.

This information was relayed and put to use with deadly results.

* * *

"We would appear to be out of time, according to some. But know that this is just the beginning, my comrades."

Ellen Pearson was in the middle of a speech at her new facility, having gathered everyone involved into the grand hall for a meeting. Amy sat near the back of the room, silently concentrating on what was going on around her. The human girl's talking soon became background noise.

A flurry of thoughts were running through her mind as she tried to piece everything together, but it was coming along so slowly. She knew that Ellen was going to move into the next phase of her plan by tomorrow – Espio was due to return tonight with what she needed before it was to happen. Amy didn't know too much about the chameleon, other than the fact that he and his buddies ran a detective agency, the same one that Ellen had enlisted to keep tabs on Doctor Eggman. She didn't bother to question his reasons for joining the cause, since someone of his skill didn't come along too often, and good help was usually hard to find.

Her thoughts then turned to the blue hedgehog, of the way he had been acting lately. His eyes had lost their light, as she knew that hers had. So much pain was coursing through him every moment…but she didn't know what lay in store for him, for any one of them. And what he had said still bothered her.

She toyed with a sphere of energy in her hands, spinning in all directions as it was suspended in the air. Power.

It was only that which would change the world this time. Heart could only take you so far, and she knew that from experience. By closing her thoughts off, by becoming more focused and warrior-like, she could reach her full potential. It had worked so far, she knew. It would do her well to continue. Still, Sonic's voice tugged at her, even as she tried to shove it away.

_Just don't forget who you are, who you've always been._

"Shut up," she muttered bitterly. "The past is dead to me…"

Ellen's speech finished, and with what seemed to be perfect timing, her phone rang. She took it from her holster and answered.

"Hello. Ah, yes. Thank you for telling me. How long did you say?" A grin. "Oh, that'll do nicely. I'll see you soon, Espio." As the call ended, she squealed in delight, not caring who heard her. It was almost time, she could feel it…!

"Amy, I know that it's nearly time for _him_ as well. If Sonic makes a decision, assist him in taking the good doctor down. Not just a few notches, but all the way to the ground and then some," she snarled, suddenly feeling vicious.

Amy nodded, feeling the irritation creep into her system from earlier. "Oh, and…" Ellen paused before adding another thing. "If you manage to capture the fat man…bring him back to me, will you?"

The hedgehog smiled back wickedly, showing her teeth. "No guarantees, dear sister."

"Ah, I should have figured. Go on, then. _Try _not to keep all of the fun to yourself," Ellen said, feigning a sigh. "But it's almost _here_! Can't you feel it, Amy?"

Amy nodded as she left the room.

"I'm going to live…I'm going to reach my dream. I'm going to…I'm going to succeed, finally…"

This…sickness was still tearing her apart, from the inside out. She didn't know what it was, or how it had come about, but she suspected the medications from earlier…

No matter. It was time. Nothing would stop her.

* * *

Sonic walked through the tunnel, looking around with wonder as he did so. An elaborate, sturdy system of caves had been crafted here…they also seemed to be from many generations before this one. They were large and wide, most likely for the transportation of people as well as goods to and from the surface. Stones in the walls were glowing and acted as the primary light source. Sonic could feel the faint energies coming off of them, since they used residual Chaos Energy. This could have been the place where a Chaos Emerald rested, until it was found…

His ears picked up the swift, yet heavy steps that came from behind. He heard a clicking, and his fur bristled upwards a bit as a rifle barrel hovered inches from the back of his head.

"Ten seconds," the voice said, trying to be intimidating but carrying a nervous shake, not to mention a slight accent from their native tongue. "Identify yourself."

He knew that he was faster than any human could hope to be. The rifle would only serve to help _him_, not the attacker in the end. So many ways he could embarrass this poor soul-

Wait.

He _knew _that voice from somewhere.

"I said to-"

"Layla?"

The barrel now touched his skull. "How do you know my name? Answer!"

"Calm down. Get more light onto me. Do as I ask and it'll be fine."

A light clicked on, and then the barrel of the rifle fell away, brushing against the ground in its retreat.

"Sonic…?"

"Yeah. It's me." He slowly turned around, holding the small bundle in his arms. The young woman he met as a university student had changed drastically. Instead of the traditional dress of her village, she had on a t-shirt and paint-splattered cargo pants. Her black hair was frayed almost beyond repair and hung off of her shoulders.

"I…I-I didn't know…you even had a child with you…Sonic…I…"

"It's alright. We've all had a rough go of it."

"I didn't think anyone would find us…but if you could…"

"I'll take responsibility. Although…it probably won't come to that. As long as you're here, you're safe."

"It's a good theory…one that I had thought of, actually."

Sonic smiled as the one he had been searching for finally came into view. Just as Layla did, he wore a shirt and ruined cargo pants, with combat boots on his feet. "Seems that we're on the same wavelength, Professor. I hope everything's been going well enough, considering…"

"Yes, yes. I've been fine down here, what with all of the equipment I dragged over here for my purposes. It seems that this cave was a base of operations for some group, and they've set up various network connections. The place is even furnished and stocked with food, which should last us a while. The invaders have probably wiped out the entire village by now…"

"Yeah. I saw."

"Layla, if you will…" He gestured to Ippolita, and the young woman took her from Sonic's arms.

"Professor, I don't have much time. So I'll tell you everything that I know."

"She's safely asleep, Sonic." He nodded towards Layla as she stood near them.

"Now, what was that about 'telling us everything that you know', Sonic?" Professor Pickle asked curiously.

Sonic revealed the blue Chaos Emerald. "I can see the future. I know how this story will end."

The old man calmly nodded.

"But I _will _save us all, Professor. One way or another."

"Very well. Come, we will discuss this over some tea and cucumber sandwiches, of course."

"Alright. Mind if I start in the meantime?"

"No, you can go ahead, lad."

Sonic took a deep breath. "…It all started after we got back to Angel Island."

* * *

Espio saw it, but couldn't really believe it.

"What…is that…?"

He saw something massive rising up from the waters miles ahead. It was blacker than the night and blocked out the sun in much the same way. For ten continuous minutes, it rose into the sky, showing more and more of its bulk as it displaced water. The chameleon could feel the boat he was on rocking violently in the new waves, pelted by the artificial rain that this flying land mass had created.

It was a damned _floating country_.

"Miss Pearson," he said into the radio on his wrist. "There's trouble afoot."

"I know," the voice replied, a little too happily for the shinobi's tastes. "But all of that will be taken care of soon…very soon."

The chameleon narrowed his eyes and looked back at the black mass above him, still raining down excess water.

"Let's hope that you can keep your word, Ellen Pearson."

Knuckles awoke to the sound of gunfire, and turned to the source. However, the sun didn't seem to be up at the moment…but his internal clock told him that it was the afternoon. _What_ was going on? He rose and looked out beyond the shrine.

As his eyes widened, he then summed up the entire world's reaction in three words.

"What the **f-**"


	13. Threat

a/n: My bad on the delay for this one. Life's been trying to pull me back, but whatever. Love and appreciate the support so far, hope you all enjoy.

* * *

"I say...that Eggman only grows bolder with age."

Professor Pickle's commentary was quite accurate, with the mad doctor's schemes only getting more ambitious each and every time. In the underground hideout near what used to be Shamar, the Professor, his student Layla, and newly minted 'terrorist' Sonic watched the events unfolding from a live satelite feed.

"It's...I can't even describe it..." Layla stared at the screen in awe.

"Looks like the retro theme is still in this year," Sonic mused darkly. "It's the Death Egg with a fresh coat of paint."

"Death Egg?" she asked. "What's that?"

"Just one of Eggman's space stations that I trashed a while back. Nothing fancy. But this thing's pretty big, and if Eggman's actually learned anything since then, it'll be a lot harder to take down, even from the inside. Eggmanland was small beans in comparison, but it wasn't exactly a walk in the park."

"I see..."

"Sonic, with what you've told us...it seems that this world is doomed, no matter what," Pickle said.

"It's not an excuse to give up," he responded.

"Duly noted...but still, what do you plan to do against this flying continent that Eggman has built to taunt us with?"

"I need it in the air for at least one thing...from what you guys said about the data you captured, it's rising slowly enough that I'll be able to catch it at a certain point."

Layla looked at him oddly. "I don't understand...why wait for it to rise? Why not stop the doctor here and now?"

"I'll need to make use of the chaos that'll come up soon. That's the reason why. From what the Emerald's been showing me, the world will be stuck in the light of the sun."

"Light of the sun...you mean like perpetual daylight?"

"Quite right, Layla," the professor replied. "Sonic made a note of the fact that the alien forces have been moving in a certain direction, which is east - that corresponds with the sun's movement across the planet, causing day and night to occur."

"So they only attack during daylight…"

"Precisely, because of the fact that their power is boosted in the sun's rays. However, they seek to eliminate that disadvantage with their massive array being built in space. It seems to be a powered array, if our findings prove correct. Using that, they can create an endless amount of daylight to shine upon all parts of the Earth at once…"

"And once that happens, we won't have much time. I'm heading up to the surface…and I'm not coming back," Sonic said. "You have my communicator frequency, so call me if you need to tell me something."

"What about us?" Layla asked.

"Whatever you do, stay here. If you can get other people down here, do it. Otherwise…just stay put until all of this is over. I'll handle the rest of it…got a few decisions to make when I get up top. I'll see you later."

"What about Ippolita?"

"…Tell her everything'll be okay soon. She can hold me to that promise…"

Sonic made his way to the surface, and gripped the Chaos Emerald tightly as the visions came to him again. The remains of the Egg Fleet were due east, and that was where Eggman's new flying fortress was at the moment. He needed to get there before a certain someone did, or else things would get even worse than they were now.

On the other hand, there was the chance that he could save someone close to him if he headed west, back towards Station Square…the visions told him what would happen if he didn't make it in time, but the decision was beyond difficult.

Looking into the night sky, his hands shook fretfully as he made his final decision.

"If…if you can hear me, Big Guy…give her a bit of peace before she goes…"

Forcing back his tears, he ran eastward, past the burning remains of Shamar.

* * *

"We're almost there, Elise."

Wilhelmina had managed to conceal the Princess' identity to an extent in the midst of the panic going on at the AirLink to Station Square International Airport, the closest airport to their location and the place where their plane was currently parked. For some reason, the aliens had left the airways open, probably figuring that no matter where people went, they'd fall under their control anyways. Jet fighters had been the only things shot down on sight so far, but that could always change.

As they left a tunnel, Wilhelmina looked outside one of the windows of the train. The skies were dotted with jet plane chaff and the flak from anti-aircraft guns. Trails of smoke and flame spiralled towards the earth, signifying the last positions of aircraft as they were shot mercilessly out of the skies.

Looking down at her hands, she felt them start to get hot, though not from anything around her. Her mind caught up, realizing what time it was.

"Are you alright?"

The girl with a baseball cap on her head and large sunglasses over her eyes spoke. She pulled down the shades, revealing a look of concern for her companion.

"I'm fine, Elise. Like I said, we're almost there."

"…If you're sure, then okay. I just don't want anything to happen to you."

"…" Not sure how to answer, the blonde simply nodded and closed her eyes, waiting for the appointed time to come. There was a chance, but she knew that it could turn out differently.

The train finally arrived at the airport, and the doors slid open to let the masses out. A cold chill crept up Wilhelmina's spine, and as she looked around, she could tell why. There were many of the soldiers clad in white armour, and from the way that they scanned the crowd, they had to be looking for someone in particular…

"Elise…listen to what I tell you next. Don't doubt anything I say, understand? Promise me."

"I promise you, Wilhelmina," she replied without hesitation.

"Thank you…Elise. Everything will be fine, you'll see…"

"I sure hope so."

The aliens advanced, moving silently through the crowds as they herded towards the plane. Wilhelmina could feel sweat start to run down her face, but she kept as calm as she could.

_Not yet, not yet…_

In the meantime, Tails and Omega were heading towards the airport themselves, unknowingly following the trail that the two girls had taken.

"We'll see if we can't track them down in the subway. You have the identity on lock, Omega?"

"Affirmative," the robot answered. "Heat signatures detected. Subjects are currently headed towards Terminal 3 of Station Square International Airport."

"Okay, let's go!" the fox yelled, taking off in a blur. The robot kicked in its thrusters and raced behind him. Reaching the front of the airport, they shot towards Terminal 3 as soon as they locked in the direction, flying above the shocked onlookers to save time.

Wilhelmina and Elise were inching closer and closer to the exit, attempting to avoid capture for as long as they could. The blonde was taking note of every detail of her surroundings, trying to figure out an escape plan that wouldn't fail them.

"Not there…no good, either…need a plan, think…"

"Targets sighted."

"There…"

Chaos erupted as G.U.N soldiers charged into Terminal 3, causing the Halo Knights to lash out without warning and open fire. Tails stifled a curse as he got out of dodge, leaving Omega to back up the Earth fighters for the time being.

Wilhelmina spotted the twin-tailed fox, and remembered that he was Sonic's good friend.

She would leave her hopes with him.

"Miles!"

He snapped his head at the sound of his name, and saw a blonde woman waving to him. She stood in front of someone else – a disguised Elise, he figured – and pulled out a combat knife to fend off the Halo Knight coming towards her. With expert grace, she ducked his laser shot and slashed him across the throat, causing him to collapse to the ground in a stream of blood, flailing about in agony.

"Take her, Miles! Protect her with everything you have!" she screamed while shoving the girl towards the fox.

"Wilhelmina! No!"

"Get outside and take the plane to Soleanna! You have no time to lose!"

He barely flinched, remembering Sonic's words from earlier. "Yes, ma'am! Princess, come on!"

"We can't leave her! She needs help!"

"Princess, please! Omega, evasive manoeuvres, _now_!" Tails yelled.

"Acknowledged. Systems engaged. Power output to maximum. Mission start."

The robot barrelled towards the group of attackers and sent them flying, clearing a path for the girl and fox to get out of the area.

"Princess, Omega! Let's jet!"

An ear-splitting scream made him stop in his tracks, and as he turned, he saw why Elise had fallen to her knees.

Gripping a blade with her bloody hand, she coughed violently as it stuck through her chest, weakening her with every moment. Her eyelids heavy, Wilhelmina Lewis looked up defiantly at her golden armoured attacker.

"You…have…already lost…"

"I beg to differ, you foolish human." He twisted the sword in her chest, causing her to drop to her knees and spit out more blood onto the ground below.

"Wilhelmina…Wilhelmina!"

"…Don't cry for…me…Elise…I'm al…right…"

"Elise, we have to run! Please, come on!" Tails pleaded. His heart was wrenched by what he saw, but he knew that they had to take this chance and leave as soon as they could.

"No…this…this can't be…this can't…"

"Elise! _Please_!"

"Enemy units closing. Time to arrival: 25 seconds."

At the end of his limits, Tails reached out to grab the girl. He started to drag her towards the exit.

"No…no, no, nonononono**nononono**…"

He felt his hand get warm. Then warmer. Then hot. Then hotter. His palms were sweating inside of his gloves, then toasting, and then…

"Ahh!"

Burning. He looked down at his hand, and the glove he wore was burnt through, smouldering as if it were on fire.

Wilhelmina felt her strength fade, but smiled all the same. She had…done what she could…

_Sonic…I leave the rest to you, my friend…_

She closed her eyes for the last time, her remaining good arm falling limply by her side. The golden warrior snorted and kicked her off of his blade, walking up to her and wiping the blood off of it onto her back.

There was murmuring around him, and he turned to see what the commotion was all about.

There, standing in front of the soldiers from both sides was Princess Elise III of Soleanna.

And she was surrounded by fire.

Tails stepped back, shielding himself from the heat. "Omega…you got a fire extinguisher handy in there?"

"Error. Such an action would be insufficient."

"Point taken…"

Tears running down her face, Elise spoke in a cold, hateful tone. The flames burned hotter and hotter around her, melting the floors as she stepped forward.

"I…will _never_…**ever**…**forgive you**..."

Tails gulped, knowing that they were all in trouble as Elise burnt two incoming enemies with a stare.

He hadn't been trained for something like this…

* * *

Emperor Hyperion prepared himself to make his descent to Earth, for what would be the first time. However, he received an urgent message, and turned on the large screen in his chambers to see what it was all about.

A large, rotund man sat in a chair, stroking his moustache in amusement.

"Ladies, gentlemen, and foolish invading aliens…I have an announcement to make. I think you should make yourselves comfortable and listen politely. Oh, and just to let you know that I'm serious…"

"My lord!" A transmission from the bridge. "We've lost the Sixth Fleet!"

"Your Highness, it seems that one of the humans' bases in the continent of Africa has been destroyed," another spoke.

His expression like stone, the Emperor watched the screen intently.

"There, that should do it. For those of you who do not know me, I am Doctor Eggman. Gather round and lend me your ears…" He smiled maliciously. "For we have **much** to discuss…"


	14. Flash

a/n: Thanks for all the support, I appreciate it. Hope you all enjoy.

* * *

"Start the operations. Prepare the ship for take-off as soon as possible. I don't think we quite have time to finish everything right now…I want to shut that _arrogant __**bastard**_ up!"

Ellen Pearson was pacing in her command room, the lights from all of the complicated equipment there dancing around her and painting the room different colours. Her eyes betrayed her emotions: she was angry, very angry. What that fat buffoon had said in his announcement set her off. She wanted him knocked out of the skies as soon as possible, and she had _just_ the tool to do it with.

The large aircraft rose from the ocean depths, something resembling an oversized space shuttle with a similar delta-wing design. Nuclear-powered thrusters sat on the rear of the craft, as well as on the back ends of each of the wings. Thrust wasn't a problem.

Adapting from the Harrier jump-jets, massive air jets could be swivelled downwards to push the craft upwards before take-off. Ellen ordered her crew into the craft as soon as possible, staring at the nose of the craft for a moment before heading inside herself.

"Amy, come in."

"I'm here, Ellen."

"Have you arrived at the place, yet?"

"Not yet. I have about five miles to go."

"That's fine. I'll be stopping by myself. Get ready in case anything happens."

"I will…" Amy cut the transmission and pushed herself faster, her emotions bubbling up inside of her as she ran. Eggman…that _arrogant_ fool!

"I'll tear you apart…for everything you've done…" Anger was clouding her mind, but she ignored it. There was no time to stop, and there was a mission to complete. She raced across the plains parallel to the gigantic battleship as it rose higher and higher into the sky.

* * *

Tails had no time to survey the devastation around him before he took off. Elise had finally run out of energy, collapsing to the ground in a heap. The fox sniped a Halo Knight with his arm cannon as Omega ran in to grab her, taking off quickly with a jet of flame from his thrusters. Tails then took the human girl, still extremely warm, and spun his tails hard as he moved out to the tarmac. Omega swivelled his body and provided covering fire as they ran.

"Plane's in sight…"

"We must separate immediately."

"What?" Tails gave the robot an incredulous look, but remembered that Elise had been on a rampage, killing both Earth and alien soldiers alike as they tried to neutralize her. She was an enemy of both sides, now…

"Alright. Just make sure you get out of dodge!" Tails laid Elise down for a moment, reaching into his pack and installing several extra magazines of ammunition into Omega's compartments. "Good luck, buddy. Report when you're done here!"

"Affirmative." Omega reloaded his weapons before boosting towards the soldiers, weapons blazing. Tails moved as quickly as he could with the Princess, eventually reaching the chartered plane.

"No pilot? Of all the-"

The fox quickly strapped Elise into the co-pilot's chair before taking the helm, getting the plane moving down the runway as quickly as possible.

"Come on…don't fail me now, G5…"

He took off and breathed a sigh of relief as he made it into open airspace. They were safe, at least for now.

"Alright…onward to Soleanna. Just have to pass Eggman's huge fortress…" The more the fox thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed. He called it 'Black Hill', which made sense because of the colour and the fact that it had hills made of rolling black grass on the ship surface…which _also_ happened to absorb solar energy that powered his equipment. Tails figured that he had to have a few nuclear reactors on board to sate the energy demand such a thing would need.

"Seems a bit excessive, but…that's Eggman for you." Sonic was probably already heading for the thing, and no doubt Knuckles would have seen it from his perch on Angel Island.

Black Hill continued its steady rise into the atmosphere as Tails pushed the Gulfstream 500 jet as fast as it could go. He had more than enough fuel to cover the flight range at his current sub-sonic speed.

Sonic was running on the plane opposite to Amy, and he could sense the younger hedgehog's presence. He just hoped that she didn't do anything crazy.

The Emerald was giving him another vision, but he couldn't understand it. Other things had been jumbled up in his visions the last time he checked, and it had to do with an abundance of fire. Wilhelmina…he knew that she was gone by now, but he had no time to mourn her fate. If he could get to her body at some point, he'd have to give her at least a decent burial.

"Fire…what's that got to do with this…?" He mulled it over as he ran, watching the fortress rise higher and higher into the skies.

"Slow it down…we're well within range." Ellen could see her massive target just ahead. The words of his 'broadcast' came back to her, and she felt her anger spike up.

"I…will _never_…"

* * *

"_I, Doctor Eggman, provide two solutions each to the people of Earth and the alien invaders. You can either join me and reap the riches and endless glory from our victory over these stupid aliens, or simply…well, rot and die. You see, I have my pride as well. I'm not going to let my planet simply transfer hands without a fight. And your so called 'world leaders' and 'Guardian Units of Nations' have done nothing but bumble about, letting __**your**__ planet fall into the hands of the enemy! Will you stand for that kind of insult, that kind of outrage! Of course not, since __**I**__ won't! _

_Now, you say I only have robots to do my bidding. But you all underestimate me. I have already mass-produced my Prototype-1 machines, and they're all unmanned, powerful, and efficient. My handcrafted helpers, Metal Sonic, Metal Knuckles, and Tails Doll are quite capable of causing mass havoc on their own. And of course, I've already recruited several platoons of Earth citizens, man and beast alike! I respect the will of the people, the will to fight and defend their planet._

_Now, as for the indigenous peoples of the Galactic Empire of Gloriole…you've seen what destruction I could bring by my hand, eh? Why don't some of you join the winning team? Heck, all of you can do so! Just surrender and pledge your allegiance to me and to the __**Eggman Empire**__. I will create my utopia for human and alien alike, known to all as __**Eggmanland, **__right here on this beautiful planet known as Earth. Together, we can crush all who oppose us, and assume our rightful place as rulers of the entire __**universe! Ohohohohoho!**_

_Ahem…so, just consider the options given to you. Pick the right one, and you get to rule the universe and enjoy the spoils with good old __**me!**__ Pick the wrong one, and…well, let's not dwell on that, eh?"_

* * *

"That Eggman's sick…"

Knuckles had started his long glide towards the Black Hill, fully intending to give the rotund scientist a piece of his mind.

"If I'm lucky, I might run into Sonic and Tails…I'll hold off on the Chaos Emerald theft so that we can work together for the time being, at least." He knew that the three of them were virtually invincible together – there wasn't a plan of Eggman's that they hadn't stopped while the trio was all present.

Sonic made the long jump from his position onto the grass of the Black Hill, noting the nostalgia he somehow felt from being there.

"Feels familiar for some reason…" He took off into a sprint, intending to look for an entrance to the interior of the base. Fighting a wave of Egg Dragoons didn't seem like much fun, so he wanted to take out as many of them as possible before he was forced to stand and fight.

_If I could go Super, this wouldn't be such an issue…_

The communicator on his wrist beeped. "Wonder who that is…?"

"Sonic!"

"Tails! Hey, there! You okay, buddy?"

"Yeah, Omega managed to buy me some time back at the airport. Listen, I'm passing by Eggman's Black Hill right now. I'm gonna drop off Elise in Soleanna."

"Thanks, lil' bro."

"Yeah, no problem. Uh…Sonic…"

"I know…Wilhelmina. I couldn't make in time, Tails…"

"She gave up herself to save Elise and us…but don't worry! I won't let her sacrifice go to waste!"

"I know you won't, Tails. Get there safe and hurry back, 'kay? I have a feeling that Knuckles is gonna join the party some time, and Amy's around somewhere. The Triple Threat Plus One! How's that sound?"

"Sounds like a plan, big bro! We have to take down Eggman…I'll see you later, Sonic."

"Copy that, kid."

Ten miles away and five miles below, the nose of Ellen's vessel spiralled inwards, revealing a large turbo laser that started to glow with light as it charged up.

"It's almost here…"

Amy landed on the Black Hill just after Sonic did, and she could just spot him in the distance. Her ears twitched as a plane flew nearby, its jet engines roaring as it zoomed through the shadow of the fortress.

"Uh…Doctor?"

The madman sat in his white chair, barely paying any attention to his spherical henchman.

"What _is_ it, Orbot? Can't you see I'm busy savouring my _absolute victory_?"

"We're detecting a large energy source ten miles south," he said with a sigh. "But it's probably nothing important…"

The doctor frowned as his screen filled with static, before revealing the face of a young woman.

"What the devil…"

"Hello, _fat man_. I suppose you don't know me, do you?"

"Actually, I do…Ellen Pearson, if I'm not mistaken."

She clapped her hands. "Very good! I'm happy that you know me so well!"

"What is it that you want?"

"I heard your transmission, and I wanted to…give you a little something. In commemoration of your launching."

"Oh?" He smiled. "Well, thank you. You're one of the smart ones, I see. So, what is it that you have for me, Miss Pearson?"

Her eyes lit up, and she laughed like a maniac, clutching her sides and barely able to stand up on her own. Blue eyes shook with lunacy as she stared at the screen, grinning madly.

"I'm sending it **long distance**, Doctor. It'll be sure to **make an IMPACT!**"

"Uh, boss?"

"Not now, Cubot!"

"Boss, I think-"

"I said to _shut up_!"

"Doctor, the laser!" Orbot shouted.

"What about that _damned-_" He stopped and looked at the girl laughing psychotically on his screen.

It was then that the realization hit him.

Long distance.

Impact.

**Large energy source.**

"Oh, **sh**-"

* * *

The laser fired, actually sending the large craft back a bit with the recoil it created. A massive, destructive beam of light raced towards the Black Hill, aiming to exterminate with extreme prejudice.

Sonic saw the bright light from where he stood. He saw the plane start to dip below the horizon of the fortress.

Tails turned his head to the left, seeing nothing but bright light through the cockpit window.

It was then that the plane disintegrated.

Amy Rose could see nothing but pure white as the laser tore through the ground in front of her, only a few meters ahead.

Knuckles let loose a string of curses as he drifted down, watching the beam rip through the Black Hill.

There was nothing but silence afterwards.

Amy's heart started to beat out of control…she couldn't see anything. Nothing at all. But she could hear just fine.

She could hear a familiar voice rise into an agonizing scream across the way.

He was crying out for his brother.

"Tails…?" The plane came into her memories, and it was then she understood. Tears fell from her eyes, and she could still hear him screaming out.

Still calling for his brother…who would not be coming back to him.


	15. Friction

a/n: Apologies for the waiting...wanted to be ambitious with my scheduling, but you know, life...anyways, thanks for all the support and love from you guys. Really appreciate it. Here's the next chapter...hope you all enjoy.

* * *

"Why? **Why I couldn't I see it coming? Why couldn't I save him?**"

Sonic screamed and pounded the earth below, tears streaming down his face. Even though the future was set, he should have had time to say goodbye to the people he cared about! He should have had more time with Tails!

This was not…the way it was supposed to be…

"But…I can't sit here and cry…there's a mission I have to complete." He slowly rose and stretched his legs. "I can't waste any more time. If not for my sake, for theirs…for Tails and Rouge and Wilhelmina…for what they've sacrificed."

He wiped his tears and looked at his surroundings, green eyes scanning for anything out of the ordinary. Amy was still around, but…what?

"Something's going on. Her energies are all wobbly."

He ran across the black fields towards her location, and saw her taking a few steps in one direction.

"Oh, shoot-!"

Sonic sped over to her and pulled her into his arms, saving the girl a one-way trip to the ocean floor as she nearly walked off of the fortress' edge.

"Amy, what the heck? What's wrong with you?"

"S-Sonic…I…I can't see…"

"What do you mean by that?" he asked curiously.

"I'm blind…I can't see anything in front of me."

He silently cursed as he remembered the laser blast…she must have been pretty close to it for this to happen. "Think it's temporary?"

"Yeah. My eyes…are already starting to heal up, I think."

He frowned at hearing that. "…That sort of ability…Amy, what have you been doing?"

"Like I told everyone else-"

"Don't bullshit me," Sonic shot back suddenly. "I'll ask again, _what_ have you been doing?"

"None of your business," she growled. "I just did what I had to."

"You purposely unbalanced yourself…you don't realize what you're taking on, Ames."

"I know damn well what I'm doing," she snapped back.

"Keep telling yourself that," he responded coldly, draping her arm around his shoulder. "Come on, let's get inside the base. We don't want to get shot off the roof."

"Your attitude is lousy," she quipped.

"And so are you, wash-up."

"What was that?" she snarled.

"Did I stutter?" he said with a glare, ending the conversation as Amy muttered under her breath. The two eventually reached an accessible entrance to the interior, thanks to the gaping hole in one side of a large door, left by the cannon blast from earlier.

They walked into the spacious base, and Sonic could see nothing but polished metal for what seemed to be miles ahead. No turning gears or exposed crankshafts, no dangerous moving parts. No electrified death traps, or flaming pits of doom.

The complete _lack_ of danger worried him to no end.

_This isn't right…_

"Your heart's speeding up."

Still irritated with her actions, Sonic sighed and decided to humour her with a response.

"I'm bothered by this."

"What do you see?"

"Absolutely nothing."

"And this upsets you…_why_? Are you seriously that much of a thrill junkie? God, I don't-"

"Maybe if you would shut up and _pay attention_ for once," he interrupted, "you'd get _why_ this is bad news. Are your eyes healing up okay?"

"I can see a little bit better."

"But not enough to fight."

"No. Are you going to look for one, Sonic?" she asked disbelievingly.

"I don't have to. The fight's going to come to us. As soon as we try to cross this area, we're stuck in a battle for our lives."

"Really? Did the Emerald tell you that?" she responded, with just a hint of sarcasm.

"Somewhat…but I pieced together everything from Eggman's broadcast along with the vision. I fought one of his machines back when I was stuck as the Werehog…it was one of the toughest duels I've ever been in with him. Eggman was doing what he could to finish me off for good…"

"There a point?" Amy replied, her current irritability getting to her.

"Yeah, there is. Eggman's mass-produced that same 'bot. Something that could compete against my strength as Sonic the Werehog. If you don't get what that means, let me spell it out: hesitate and you **die**. That's why I'm waiting for you to heal up before we make a move."

"What, because you need my help?"

"I wouldn't need it from you when you're acting like a stupid brat…but…"

He held his head in silence for a moment. "You're the most important person in the world right now, Amy Rose. And more than that…you're someone I really care about. I don't want to lose you. I _can't_ lose you."

"Most important…why are you saying that? What are you thinking?" she demanded.

"…If I say anything, it'll just drive you into despair. I'd rather have you like this than…just forget about it for now."

"…Whatever. I'm almost good to go."

"Alright. Just let me know when."

The two sat in silence beside each other, with nothing but the faint sounds of machinery filling the air space. Amy's conscience ate at her, taking larger and larger chunks of her stability with each bite. Her previous words came back to her, leaving a bitter and disgusting taste in her mouth. The faint outline of her companion filtered through her broken eyes.

"Why…Sonic, why are you still here? Why are you helping me?"

"Because I care about you."

"I've done nothing but treat you like trash for the last half-hour. I've been stubborn and bitchy and rude…I've done nothing but make things worse for us."

"Amy…"

"You shouldn't be near me…my hands have his blood on them."

He turned her head towards his own. "Look at me."

"I can't."

"Look at me, Amy."

"…" She reluctantly did as she was told, staring straight into his emerald eyes.

"Let it all go. Just…let it all go. I'm asking you to do that for a selfish reason of mine."

"What is it?" she asked curiously.

"I want you to carry my dreams, Amy. I want you to do that for me."

She shook her head, closing her eyes. "I can't do that. I can't be trusted with things like that."

"I trust you."

"You shouldn't!" she screamed. "You shouldn't trust me with anything! I'm the one who killed your brother! I'm the one who ran off and made everyone worry! I'm the one who's wasting our time right now!"

"Amy…"

Her eyes finally cleared up, and she could see his eyes perfectly…his hurting, pleading eyes. The heart that she thought hardened suddenly poured out a measure of compassion towards him, and she slowly nodded in response.

A part of her remained that wanted to make him happy, that wanted to dream with him of a better world, of a better future. It was growing, spreading into the rest of her, and for the first time in a while, she felt warm, actually _warm_ and happy inside.

"Please…I…I can only ask you…"

"I will…Sonic, I'll carry your dreams with me," she said, relenting.

A relieved smile crossed his face. "Thank you. Thank you, Amy."

"…" She didn't quite understand why he was so desperate for that answer, but it could very well reveal itself soon.

"I guess it's time."

"Yeah…"

The two hedgehogs walked across the long room, reaching halfway across when an alarm sounded. The smooth walls and ceiling slid away to reveal rows upon rows of Eggman's improved Prototype-1 machine, better known as the Egg Dragoon.

All units were controlled by advanced artificial intelligence, all set to terminate with extreme prejudice.

"…"

Sonic and Amy watched as the robots surrounded them, the room seemingly expanding with each wave that rolled into the area. Soon the room was twice its size and still growing. The damage by the laser had quickly been repaired, leaving Sonic and Amy with little time to decide on whether or not to make a run for the exit.

The pink hedgehog touched her necklace, summoning her hammer to her hands.

The blue hedgehog stretched his legs once more, bouncing on his feet as the machines surrounded them in a circle.

Finally, the rollout stopped, and the deafening sound of jet thrusters filled the air. From end to end of the now expanded area, there was the massive army of Prototype-1 machines. They stood on the ground and hovered in the air, all locked onto their two targets.

"Sonic…if we don't…get out of this…"

"Yeah?"

She turned around and kissed him on the lips, as deeply as she could. Tears spilled down her face as their lips parted.

"I love you…more than anyone in the universe…"

"…I know."

He badly wanted to return her feelings in full, but he knew that he couldn't. Not with what would happen soon.

But…his heart screamed at him, telling him to do the right thing - the _only _thing. He defied what he _knew_ shouldn't be done. He took her hand gently, looking into her green eyes affectionately.

"…Thank you, Amy. I really…love you as well. I mean it," he said, his heart put into every word.

"…Yes. I understand," she said breathlessly, entranced by his warmth as they touched.

The first machine charged with its electrified blade, swinging it in a wide arc. The two hedgehogs jumped high before coming down on it with a stomp simultaneously, the machine exploding violently from the damage.

In a split second, nine-hundred ninety-nine thousand nine-hundred ninety-nine Egg Dragoons descended upon them.

The long climb out of hell began.


	16. Clutch

a/n: Here we go again. Sorry about the delays. Hope you all enjoy this chapter.

* * *

The Chaos Emeralds were gems that could turn thoughts into power, using the infinite energies that they released with the will of the user. In knowing that, someone knowledgeable enough on the use of 'Chaos Energy' as it was called could adjust themselves using said energy that was already present in their bodies.

The times that Amy Rose had seen or touched at least one Chaos Emerald were almost too many to count. Through her various adventures, she had been nearly as close to the gems as Sonic was, and he was the one who had tapped into the Emeralds' potential the most times out of anyone in their circle – certainly more times than even Knuckles, the guardian of the controlling Master Emerald had. His closet peer was Shadow, with his experiences of the gems' powers stemming from his dark past and the use of Chaos Control.

The tuning of Chaos Energy within her was tied to her emotions, mainly her distress and anger. It was a dangerous type of power to use in such a way, and it was accidentally tapped during a frustrating training session, shortly after meeting Ellen Pearson. The human girl noted the energy spikes as Amy's anger grew and grew, and showed her how to access her abilities through it.

The pink hedgehog roared and slammed the front of an Egg Dragoon as it came for her. Her hammer smashed the front of the machine and sent metal shooting through the AI unit in the cockpit, sending the unit offline and tumbling to the floor in a heap. Six more machines came for her, covering nearly every angle.

They attacked with blasts of energy, revolver-like cannons firing away at where she stood. In a flash, she appeared directly behind their position, having warped time and space in order to slip through it to the other side, distorting her own placement at the same time.

An illusion of existence for a single moment…that was the magic of the Chaos Sleight.

Sheer brute force blended with pure speed as her hammer came down on the unmanned cockpit of another Dragoon, slamming it into the floor below and flattening it like a flimsy cardboard box. Her shoes touched the ground and she disappeared in a moment's notice, the machines tracking a pink blur right before it smashed into them, a mess of sawing quills and pulverized metal created at the center of the affair.

Her eyes took on a colder look than before, the darkness consuming her as it gave her more and more power in exchange. A burst of energy hit the pink hedgehog and sent her rolling across the metallic floor. She stopped herself quickly and moved her head to one side as an electrified blade came down, just barely missing her by inches. Electricity tickled her cheeks and made her quills frizz up as she moved quickly to her feet, delivering a devastating swing upwards that nearly separated the Dragoon's top half from the rest of it as it went offline. With a flick of her wrists, the Piko Piko Hammer was sent spinning out of her hands and into the midsection of another Dragoon, severely damaging it. Amy's hands formed a heart shape in front of her body as she took aim, quickly firing a pink burst of energy that tore apart the machine's front, leaving it a smoking heap of scrap as it hit the floor.

Sonic the Hedgehog used the fallen machine as a launch point, rising high into the air and smashing the top parts of the Dragoons with a chain of Homing Attacks. His blue body curled into a whirling ball of blades as he crushed and sliced the black spheres inside of each unit, the ones carrying the complex AI that gave the machines life and bloodlust.

His trajectory landed him in front of one machine, and he wasted no time in using a Sonic Wind to rip apart its chest section, sending it offline as more came for his hide. His arm was cut with a searing blade of electricity, and he stifled the pain as his body forced itself into motion, ignoring the paralyzing electricity that ran through him. Sonic whipped out the blue Chaos Emerald and induced Chaos Control, freezing up the immediate area around himself and Amy. Several blasts of energy sniped at them from the outer limits as they ran, tearing through helpless robots all along the way. Time resumed its flow, and Sonic burst forward in a flash of light, spinning through as many robots as he could before coming to a stop.

Even with the Chaos Emerald at his disposal, fatigue was coming on quickly. The Light Speed Dash took up too much energy to be used repeatedly – if he could do so, the fight would have been done at this point.

Amy dodged an attack, feeling something else coming from the outside as her senses tingled. Her body went into autopilot as she smashed two more Egg Dragoons on her way to Sonic, unable to call for him due to the noise of the machine army's engines and weapons.

He saw her moving frantically, and the Chaos Emerald flashed in his hand. Acting on his own reflex, he shot towards her and took her hand firmly.

"**Chaos Control!**"

They disappeared in a flash of light, just as another massive laser blast tore through the fortress' interior, destroying several of the Egg Dragoons in the process. Sonic and Amy dropped down from above, each dashing off to one side each and taking on the remaining machines.

"Are you rodents _still _alive? You're more resilient than I thought possible…"

The fat man's voice taunted them, but they tuned it out, sweat pouring down their brows as the battle wore on, mercilessly. A swinging blow from one of the Dragoons caught Sonic in the head, drawing blood. He flicked the liquid from the cut above his eye and regained his balance, shredding through the machine with a Light Speed Dash in retaliation.

A throbbing head took in the destruction around him, and he realized just how far the two had to go, even with the help of the second laser blast. Only several hundred of the machines had been taken down, which would have been incredibly impressive in any other circumstance…but in this case, it was as significant as dumping a cup of red dye in the ocean to try to change its colour.

His eyes flashed as he saw Amy smacked to the ground once more, and he shot over in a violent flash of blue, tearing the bladed arm of the machine off with his momentum. He roared and threw it through the cockpit like a javelin, piercing it in a shower of electricity and red-hot sparks.

"You okay?"

She nodded slowly, rising to her feet. He looked at the blue Chaos Emerald pensively, trying to work out what he could do.

_Options are getting more and more limited…I don't think I have anything left…_

Sonic stood by Amy's side as the machines advanced, making sure that she was okay before charging forward, spinning through the incoming Dragoon's midsection and rendering it useless.

…_But to go all out!_

However, as soon as he made the decision to move forward, he heard a scream sound out from behind. He turned to see Amy trapped in the grip of a cold, metallic hand, fingers wrapped tightly around her throat.

Sonic kept as calm as he possibly could, maintaining a stare at the blood-red eyes that bore into him.

"Leave her alone. This is between us."

"…"

The robot's grip only tightened around her neck, causing the girl to kick and struggle.

Sonic said nothing, not falling for the bait that was laid out in front of him. With what seemed to be frustration, Metal Sonic threw his captor across the floor before focusing on the hedgehog in front of him.

Sonic snapped his fingers once, sending the Chaos Emerald into Amy's hands as she looked on despondently. Her heart raced and beat mercilessly through her chest, the loud thumps eating away at her sanity with each passing second.

"I could have just left you to die here…but that wouldn't be very fair, would it?"

"…"

"This is your out…**if you can beat us**."

Metal Knuckles floated down towards where Metal Sonic stood, staring down the blue organic. Sonic glanced over at Amy, who was still trembling on her knees as she watched them. The Egg Dragoons had all stopped moving, forming a massive circle around the three fighters as they continued to size up each other.

Amy had already decided on what she would do, the anger building up and overflowing inside of her. She gripped the Chaos Emerald tightly, causing it to glow as she drew out its energy.

Sonic's eyes drifted towards her form for a moment, watching as the glow from the Emerald intensified. Anger was clearly visible, and he didn't need the gem to tell him where she was going next. In a flash of light, she disappeared.

"Guess now it's just us, huh?"

"Prepare yourself," Metal Sonic said in his deceptively even tone. Sonic could somehow hear the biting emotion that came from the robot's voice box when nobody else could.

Huh. Maybe there was more of a connection between them than he thought.

"I think I'm all set," Sonic said, turning to his opponents and bouncing on his feet. "Make sure that you're ready as well, Metal."

"You let that girl go."

"Yeah, I did. Problem with that?"

"I thought you were concerned for her safety," Metal replied mockingly. "And yet you leave her to her own devices inside this, a lion's den of epic proportions?"

"She'll be fine. I already know what's going to happen to her," Sonic said confidently. He cracked his knuckles and planted his feet. "I already know how this is all going to end."

"How arrogant of you." The robots lit up their thrusters, wisps of blue flame floating behind them. "Are you saying that you can see the future, my loathsome copy?"

"Yeah, I can."

His mouth turned up in a cocky smirk.

"And you're not in it."


	17. Snap

a/n: Finally here. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

The two warriors shot forward, clashing hard with each other before retreating for a moment, trying to read each other's movements.

Metal Knuckles stayed on the sidelines after orders from his cobalt counterpart to stay out of the fight. The robot obeyed and silently watched the two hedgehogs lash out at each other at high speed, their limbs becoming blurs even through the optics of the advanced machines around them.

Sonic parried a straight punch from Metal before landing a solid right hook into one of the robot's eyes, smashing it to pieces. He kicked off of his opponent's head and went into a spin, hitting the ground and shooting forward as a whirling ball of spikes. Metal put his hands forward and held off the spinning hedgehog, eventually holding him in one hand and tossing him away. Sonic broke out of the spin and hit the ground, drifting to his right and in front of the standing barrier of Egg Dragoons. He slipped out of the drift and into another spin attack, rushing Metal Sonic from his left side and scoring a hit, chipping away at the solid metal that made up his exterior.

The robot reeled for a moment before smacking his opponent away, firing up the jet engine in his torso and shooting off towards Sonic as he flew through the air, pinning him into the wall high above with one hand. His grip tightened as he shot down towards the floor below, slamming the blue hedgehog back first into it. Sonic stifled a yell and twisted himself in Metal's grip, managing to turn himself around and kick the robot in the chest. Still not freed, he kicked out again and again, his speed increasing as he pounded on the robot with both feet, hovering above the ground with his momentum.

Metal's reluctance to let go cost him an arm as Sonic broke away with one last kick, the robot's appendage still wrapped like a vice around his neck. He tore it away and tried to catch his breath, but was quickly rammed through a wall of Egg Dragoons as Metal Sonic charged with a spear tackle.

Sonic spun himself around in midair and slammed the robot into the ground, sending both of them sliding into the nearby wall, Sonic beating on his robot copy with its own arm the whole way.

They rolled away from each other quickly before shooting forward and clashing once more, intent on wiping each other from existence. The deafening roar of jet boosters caught their attention, and both heads turned to see the army of Egg Dragoons charging for their heads. Metal Sonic reversed his thrust and flew away before an electric blade could skewer him.

Sonic jumped off of several Dragoon heads in pursuit of Metal, already realizing that the robot had planned for this to happen and set the machines to attack them in the first place if they broke the makeshift barrier. He was immediately thankful that Amy had left when she did because of it.

Continuing on, he used the Egg Dragoons as stepping stones, focused on reaching the retreating Metal Sonic and ignoring the burning pain in his chest and lungs. His breaths were starting to shorten and his energy was draining at a pace that he didn't like. With fire in his eyes, Sonic hit the ground running and raced closer to Metal Sonic, who stopped reflexively and pounced on the hedgehog, throwing them both into the torso of an incoming Dragoon. The three slammed into the floor and both hedgehogs raced away to avoid a storm of energy bullets, which obliterated the machine left in their dust.

"Your time is running out!"

Sonic ignored the robot's taunts and dodged another barrage of energy blasts from the swarming machines, only to take a slash across his chest as compensation. He cursed under his breath as blood dripped onto his sneakers. The wound wasn't deep enough to take him out of the game, but it wasn't exactly an advantage, either. No Chaos Emerald to help him heal...

As much as he hated to admit it, Sonic knew that the robot was right. He didn't have much time at all.

* * *

Shadow the Hedgehog stood in the middle of a vast desert, mangled steel and dead bodies lying around him. He sported cuts all over his body, but those were recent and slowly healing on their own as he rested.

G.U.N had sent all manner of weapons and personnel after him, in a desperate bid to get rid of his presence in the event that he would defect to the side of the Halo Knights. Shadow had no such intention of going against the organization that he once worked for, but after the murder of Rouge, he wanted nothing less than the total destruction of all human life. They had taken away Maria, and to some extent, he had tried to tolerate and even forgive the humans, but after what happened to Rouge…all bets were off.

Unforgivable.

He knew more enemies would come in a while, most likely from above again, but that hadn't worked quite to their advantage. A combination of Chaos Control and ace piloting skills caused the military's air strikes to backfire with catastrophic results. He thought the ground war an utter joke, and anything launched from sea was rendered useless because of the distance it had to travel. No tanks were even close to a match for Shadow's destructive power.

He was the Ultimate Life for very good reason.

A Humvee rolled forward in the distance, and Shadow prepared to blow it to kingdom come…but he noticed it swerving wildly until it came to a stop, still some distance away. A person stumbled out of the driver side door and fell, struggling to get back up.

He walked towards the vehicle and immediately Chaos Controlled it away, sending it tumbling end over end a few miles into the distance. Crimson eyes narrowed on the strange intruder as she clung desperately to his leg.

"You are…Shadow…?"

"What of it?"

She rolled herself over, blood staining her black dress and the locks of her blonde hair. Her orange eyes were half closed, pain and exhaustion setting in quickly.

"Gunshot wounds."

"T-they…tried to kill me…several times…"

"You're the alien princess," Shadow concluded. Her attire certainly gave off the impression of royalty. He knelt down and supported her head as she spoke.

"Y-yes…I…came to find you…Shadow…"

He snorted. "What would _you_ want with _me_? You and your 'holy crusade'…"

"I don't give a damn about that," she snarled. Her tone softened soon after. "You…are the Ultimate Life…"

"..."

"I…want you to end this…put an end to this…"

Her stare intensified as she looked into his eyes. "You must…end this war…and use me to do it."

"Use _you_?" Shadow laughed maliciously. "What use could a dead woman be?"

"More use than if she were alive…"

His look changed to one of intrigue. "And these are not idle words?"

"I…I hate this. I hate _him_. How he paints the worlds he conquers red with the blood of any who dare question him, how he molests Mother Nature at every turn, just to fuel his wicked war machine…I cannot have it, even if it costs my own life…as it did Mother's…"

"What is it you want?"

"Use my hatred, my anger, and the vile and twisted feelings inside of me. I will give you my existence in exchange for power; power beyond…what you could imagine…"

"What makes you say I need this power, girl?"

"I want you to have it. I want you to destroy anything that stands in your way. That stands…in _our_ way. My father's tyranny must come to an end…make use of me, and erase him from existence!"

Reina coughed up blood as she screamed out, her body shaking with pain.

"I can heal you."

"My life…is already forfeit. There is nothing you can do." She smiled up at him. "I can see it…that you've lost many important things…precious people…just as I have…"

"…"

"You can feel it, right…? The hatred…the bloodlust…everything that's in me, and in you…I will make my will yours, and I will exist no more, but…promise me…promise…me…"

"I will do as you ask. Give me your name," Shadow said coldly.

"I am…Crown Princess Reina, of the Holy Galactic Empire of Gloriole…and I…give my existence to you, the Ultimate Life…take my vengeance…my hatred…take every part of my blackened soul…"

"…And destroy all that stands in my way."

"Yes…thank you…"

A soft glow came from Reina's body, and she closed her eyes for the last time. A current of wind spiralled around the two as a flash of bright light surrounded Shadow. The next moment, Reina was gone, and Shadow felt a new power course through his veins.

"This…is…haha…hahaha…ahahaha…!"

He started laughing manically. He…he could feel it! So much anger, so much vengeance!

So much **power!**

"Incredible! This power…this is the ultimate power! Beyond even what I had before! Killing intent…it's overflowing from her soul into mine! She wants to destroy all that is in her way…and so do I. You gave up your existence for this, girl…but only **I **will savour it!"

He raised one hand to the sky, aiming for Eggman's flying fortress.

"I'll need a bit of time…to prepare my next attack. Everything in one blow…that stupid scientist, and the alien scum. I will show you what true power is."

A smug smirk crossed his face.

"I will show you _all_ why I am **the Ultimate Life!**"

* * *

Amy Rose raced down the corridors of the Black Hill interior, sneakers screeching against the steel floors every time she rounded a corner. Instinct was driving her, moving her forward towards a destination she wasn't fully sure of…but she was sure that she had to reach it, and quickly.

She rushed down the long catwalk that had suddenly appeared before her, suspended over huge vats of liquid metal that glowed brightly and swished about like ocean water. Amy tore her eyes away from the sight and raced on ahead, clearing the platform. She spotted the display of glass windows in the distance – Eggman's command center, sitting amongst a mess of blocky server towers and cables running back and forth below raised glass. Amy stepped forward into the frosty mist that surrounded the area, which served to prevent the high-speed machines from overheating. Her breaths condensed in the air as she moved further and further into the shadows.

"I don't suppose you're looking for me?"

She turned and came face to face with soulless black eyes, the orange fur striking out in her memories. A doll…?

"Tails…no, you…"

"You're too slow."

Eggman walked up beside his creation as Amy was frozen in place, her body refusing to respond to any of her commands.

_What's…what's this? This stupid stuffed toy did something to me!_

"Psychokinesis…one of the Tails Doll's unique – and amusing – abilities. What do you think?"

_I think you need to go to hell!_

"No response?" the doctor asked mockingly. "Well, be like that, then. Your hero's in a fair bit of trouble, isn't he?"

_Sonic…if you've done anything to him…_

"I don't think he'll make it out of this battle alive. Better for me in the end…though he _was_ a persistent and _inspired_ opponent. _Requiescat in pace_, you damned blue pest."

_Stop it! Stop talking as if he's dead! He won't lose…he wouldn't lose to the likes of you!_

"As for _you_...well," he said, eying her with disdain, "I don't need _another_ wrench in my plans. These aren't my usual tactics, but this battle has gotten quite serious over the past while. I am forced to resort to baser methods in order to achieve my goals. You will experience one of them."

Amy felt her body freed up from its spell, but stopped in her tracks as her head started to throb. The throbbing transformed into a sharp pain, and from that evolved into something far worse.

"What...what's...happening...to me...?" she gasped, pain overtaking her senses.

"Attacking the mind isn't something I relish doing. I've always liked a good challenge, opponents intelligent enough to at least give me some semblance of opposition. To destroy someone's mind is to take the interest out of any challenge. Mind control on the other hand is very much fair game, if only because it requires strategic usage..."

"Uu...ugh..."

"It's quite cold of me to do this, but I'm a desperate man in these times," Eggman went on, as Amy fell to her knees. "I don't expect you to sympathize with me in any sense, but you must understand that war is hell, my dear."

"Rrr...rrgh..."

"I will make this as easy on both of us as possible. If you surrender, you will have no greater harm will come to you. All you have to do is say 'uncle', so to speak. Resist, and your mind will shut down as a result of the intense assault against it. Once that happens, your body will in turn cease to function, which means your major organs will fail, and...well, you'll die, is all that I'm saying."

"Ch...ch-ch-kk-"

"Your speech has already started to go down the drain," he said with a sigh. "I ask you to consider my offer. For both of our sakes. Only about fifteen seconds left for you, Miss Rose."

He looked down at his watch as she clutched her head, screaming in agony.

"Ten or so seconds remaining...still enough time..."

She looked up defiantly at him, her mouth opened as she struggled to make a sound. Her eyes rolled upwards as she fell lifelessly to the ground.

"...A pity," the doctor remarked. "The fact that she won't be able to feel her imminent death counts as a small mercy, I suppose. All that's left now is to clean up the mess. Take care of that, will you?" he said to the Tails Doll. "Wasted youth...a most terrible thing."

He turned to walk away, and made it a few steps before hearing something rumble beneath his feet. At first, he assumed that it was his creation picking up the remains of the hedgehog girl, but surely, the work wouldn't have been done this loudly. He turned back around, curiosity getting the better of him.

Eggman then found himself starting into a strange, yet familiar pair of eyes, tinted in such a dark shade of green that they could have been mistaken for black. Her breaths created a wave of fog between them, clouding up the doctor's dark goggles as he stared on, transfixed on the seemingly undead girl that stood in front of him.

The strange doll that stood between them a moment ago had its stuffings scattered around it, soft fabric torn to pieces and an arm lying neglected on the floor.

There was nothing but silence between them, until Eggman came to a conclusion on the matter. He let out a heavy sigh.

"Oh. It seems that I've miscalculated."

He heard a loud crack and found himself on his knees for some reason. His body wasn't responding to his thoughts, either. There was a strange, numbing sensation, and faintly...a lack of air. Eggman found himself strangely alert, noticing the pair of gloved hands around his neck.

The eyes that were a faux black a moment earlier had returned to normal once more, a look of pure horror etched onto them. Again, no sound came from the mouth of Amy Rose, though her lips moved up and down desperately. Her fingers dug into the human's soft flesh, trembling with disgust at her actions, at the feelings she was experiencing with her hands around his neck, choking off his air-

"I...I-I couldn't...have..."

Amy could clearly see the traces of her shaky breaths in the air around her, condensing and turning a frosty white in the cool air. She could see the frost starting to form on his moustache, and feel the warmth start to fade from her fingers around his throat.

Her voice finally came to her, and she screamed like she never had before.

Because she knew that between them, she was the only one breathing.


	18. Erase

a/n: Too long a wait...just haven't been where I should be lately, but I hope this does well by you guys.

* * *

The battle between the two Sonics continued, which each trying to compensate for the damage that they took on. Metal Sonic adjusted for the damage to his optics and loss of his arm, while Sonic tried to control his breathing and ignore the stinging from the cut across his chest.

In the meantime, both hedgehogs were focused on avoiding the attacks from the swarming Egg Dragoons, electric blades and energy bullets flying every which way. Sonic shredded through as many as he could with spin attacks at their weak points, something that Eggman never saw a need to correct. He might have been right to do so, as the sheer numbers of his machines would overwhelm most opponents.

Metal Sonic spotted an opening and flared up his jet booster, shooting through a gap between two Egg Dragoons to punch Sonic in the chest, wreaking havoc on his wounds. The organic stifled a yelp and countered with an uppercut, nearly tearing the robot's head off. Metal reeled long enough for Sonic to choke-slam him into the ground, but the hedgehog's advantage was cut short as he was pelted by gunfire from the circling Dragoons. Sonic focused through his pain and took in the sight of every energy burst as they raced towards him.

For a second, he was reminded of those clear nights where one could see every star in the sky. It was just that these stars were out to kill him.

He stepped once to his left, and had raised his right leg before his foot even touched the ground. Dodging a shot, he immediately shuffled right, and back-flipped not a moment after that, then ducked and simultaneously shot forward to dodge several more. His hand brushed the ground as he went into a fast roll, taking several shots to his body as he spun. He broke out of the roll and flipped forward, facing the endless wave of bullets once more.

Sonic simply grunted and moved fluidly through the barrage, feeling several bullets graze his fur and singe it black. Adrenaline flowed fast and ruthlessly through his body, and the pain barely registered even as it tore into him. Metal Sonic came through an opening once more, but Sonic could see him clearly.

Ignoring the robot, he put on a burst of speed in desperation, the shell of wind pressure deflecting rounds of energy as they slammed into it repeatedly. Sonic's eyes flashed as he reached one of the Egg Dragoons, dodging its energy blade as it swiped at him. He spun cleanly through the offending arm and then rammed his own through the machine's weak point. Shards of metal sliced his hand, blood flowing freely from it as he roared with determination. His legs tensed before he shot forward quickly, racing around in a circle and spinning the machine in his grasp as it continued to fire, the bullets whirling outward at an even faster rate in a cyclone of destruction.

Metal Sonic activated his Black Shield against the storm, while Metal Knuckles was nowhere to be found after observing silently the entire time. The remaining Dragoons were viciously torn apart as Sonic and his dance partner twirled around, unleashing hell on the remaining thousands of machines in the vicinity. Energy shots pelted the walls and floor, denting them inwards with each successive beating.

A twitching of the hedgehog's muscles unwittingly activated the missile pods of the captive Egg Dragoon, and they fired without regard for their targets, sending explosions rippling throughout the battlefield. A fresh round of carnage began, Sonic still in his maddening drive as the numbers started to thin.

The robot seemed to have had enough, and disabled his defenses long enough to charge his copy as he spun violently.

Sonic stopped suddenly, ending the tornado of bullets as he pushed his muscles to their breaking point and brought the massive machine arcing over his head. Metal Sonic shredded through the machine's bulk with one sharp hand, but was met in midair by Sonic.

The hedgehog's eyes were steeled as he rammed a bloody hand through his copy's shell.

* * *

Feet pounded against the metal floors, an arrhythmic beat that sounded through the hollow corridors of the Black Hill. She ran and pounded her feet because it was the only thing her mind could compel her to do. She ran without a purpose or destination.

Eyes wide with terror, Amy Rose stumbled through the fortress, trying desperately to run away from the madness that plagued her. Fresh tears fell from her eyes as she whimpered and gasped desperately for air, her body going into shock even as she moved forward.

There was blood everywhere, blood that only she could see, that only she could feel and smell and taste. She could hear it dripping from her hands as she ran down the halls, falling in time with her heartbeat as it spun out of control.

She fell, shaking in panic, wanting to take the horrible memories out of her head. Those desperate seconds that took her mind and tortured it over and over.

The fat man's body had fallen to the floor, lifeless. She stumbled backwards and fell on her behind, scurrying away as fast as she could. The doll hovered in its position, stuffing falling slowly to the floor in front of her eyes. Her stomach lurched and she threw up onto the floor, bitterness filling her mouth as she felt herself empty to the point of dry heaving. She tried to cough out the disgusting taste as she rose from the scene, only to stumble and fall onto her knees again in weakness.

Fighting through her wobbling legs, she finally managed to take off, leaving the cold confines of Eggman's command centre to head into the abyss beyond. Her driving feet took her further into darkness, into the beginnings of the great and black core that contained the power needed to make the fortress move as it did.

A slight rumbling managed to drop the girl onto her side as she moved. She groaned in agony, fighting against her shell shocked body in order to rise. It was a losing battle. A pained moan escaped her lips as she lay still, trembling at the feel of her own skin, at each breath she took. She was a monster...how could a monster carry someone's dreams to safety? How could she fulfill Sonic's wish now?

She knew that if she came near him in this state, he could be devoured as well...just as Eggman was, in the blink of an eye. Snapping in more ways than one.

The blood wouldn't stop flowing...it seeped through her fingers and disappeared into the floor. The feel of his neck snapping in her hands, of his life slowly slipping away as she watched, as she squeezed tighter and tighter to be sure...

There was...satisfaction...oh..._oh, god_...

She broke into loud sobs, still lying on the floor helplessly. Her cries echoed through the halls, but there was nobody that heard her. Nobody that cared, or could care.

The rumbling from earlier became louder and harsher with each moment.

* * *

"Looks like this is getting more and more serious with each moment…it's a good thing I took the Master Emerald with me earlier…"

Knuckles stood in front of the Emerald Shrine, watching the massive alien flagship start its descent through the atmosphere. The Black Hill rose up towards it, while Angel Island was floating atop the ocean waters as Knuckles performed what would be his final ritual. One last thing that would keep the terrifying powers of the Emeralds out of the reach of anyone who tried to take them.

Six of the seven Chaos Emeralds were now sealed. Sonic had done well enough in taking care of the last one, but Knuckles felt that he couldn't leave anything to chance.

"I'm the last of my kind…the last guardian of this island and the Emeralds. No matter what I have to do, I'll do it…because it's my duty. I hope you make it out of this, Sonic…I hope you can secure everyone's future for them. Mine is already set in stone…"

Knuckles took a deep breath and walked up the steps of the shrine, thoughts filling his head. There were a lot of recent memories that came up…spending time with the ones he had come to know as friends…fighting Eggman…exploring the world he had never seen…

He would have to leave all of that behind. Duty came first, and in order to perform his duty, he had to pay a price. This one seemed almost too steep, and Sonic would have protested. He always did when it came to these things. He would try to find another way, somehow.

"But there is no other way…no, not this time."

Knuckles took one last look at his island as he placed his hand on the Master Emerald. A final wish to set everything straight…

"The servers are the seven Chaos. Chaos is power, enriched by the heart. The controller…is the one that unifies the Chaos…"

He closed his eyes.

"Give me the power…to guard this place until the end of time. Against any enemy, seen or unseen, against any threat to the place, imagined or real. I am ready to pay the full cost. I am the last guardian of the Master Emerald, Knuckles the Echidna."

Almost reluctantly, the Master Emerald started to glow brightly, as if waiting for Knuckles to consider his words. With a heavy sigh and a soft nod, the dazzling light took over him and the entire shrine.

As it faded, a lone figure stood in front of the Master Emerald, staring out at the island with blank, violet eyes. He was completely still; the sounds of the battle above, or the falling rain from above as it pelted his red fur changed neither his outlook nor his position.

The Guardian of the Master Emerald stood as a silent sentry, watching closely as the island started to rise from the darkened oceans. It was now his island, and his alone. Knuckles couldn't protect it anymore.

Knuckles couldn't protect anything anymore.

This was because Knuckles the Echidna no longer existed.


	19. Start

a/n: Sorry about how long it's been taking, especially compared to my earlier paces. I've been out of it physically and so it took a while to do any writing. I hope this makes up for it all and that you enjoy it. Thanks for all of your support and I welcome any comments/criticisms as always.

* * *

"Someone's beaten me to it…"

Emperor Hyperion stood in the cold of Eggman's command centre, standing over the corpse of the good doctor as he lay face down on the floor. Several of his guard examined the area and searched for any others in the immediate area.

"Have you found anything?" he asked to nobody in particular.

"Traces of organic material, tied to one being on this ship," a doctor replied, adjusting her pocket computer. "A female hedgehog, from the reading…"

"How far could she have gone?"

"In this state, not very far. She is still on this ship. We can safely assume that she was responsible for the death of the man we see here…" She reached into her long jacket and pulled out another instrument, shining a light on Eggman's body before the device beeped. "His windpipe was crushed, quite simply."

"Formidable strength," Hyperion commented. "Search the ship for her, and anyone else who may be present. We might be able to make use of these savages if they have any semblance of intelligence left in them."

"Emperor...I have not found any further readings on Princess Reina-"

"Leave that be," he said dismissively. "If she's dead, then she's dead."

"Your Excellency, she is…"

"As I said before. Her fate is her own. I have no time to waste on stubborn fools. Tell the search parties to terminate their mission and resume the annihilation of the Earth forces. With the fat man out of the way, this game is only ours to lose."

"…"

"Was I not clear enough in my orders?"

"Forgive me, Your Excellency…your orders are perfect and absolute. I shall follow your will."

"So it shall be done." Hyperion gave Eggman a last look before leaving the area. The woman stared at him as he walked away, a look of disgust on her face.

_This is the Emperor I serve with my life? _

"His own daughter…unbelievable…"

Her head turned for a moment towards the corridor that Amy had been in previously. Shaking her head, she too left the area, the Tails Doll lying broken and motionless on the ground beside its master.

* * *

Sonic tore his fist out of Metal Sonic's chest, causing the robot to start to sputter and spark as it stood in place, motionless. The doppelgangers simply stared at one another, sensing that the battle had finally ended.

"It seems that you've won…this time..."

There was a sense of resignation that Sonic felt only he could hear. In all other aspects, the robot was cold and emotionless, seemingly indifferent to its current condition as it stared into emerald eyes.

"Win…I guess so."

Support systems were failing rapidly. Damage was critical. A diagnostic revealed crippling and irreversible damage to the mainframe and all essential mechanics. Red eyes flickered in and out of existence, the pictures coming through them interrupted by waves of static.

"It was never supposed to come to this…"

"…"

"I was supposed to prove my superiority to you."

"…"

"I don't see any of the usual arrogance in you. Typically, this would be the point where you would remark with 'I'll play with you some other time!' or 'Is that it?' as per usual," Metal commented, imitating Sonic's voice perfectly with his past quotes.

"I…don't have it in me today," Sonic said tonelessly. Metal's gaze shifted to the organic's ruined arm.

"You've sacrificed much to come this far."

"…I haven't made any sacrifices yet. Just took whatever I could get. I'll make one soon…"

"And you know this, how?"

"I told you that I could see the future, Metal."

"…And I was not in it," the robot finished, its optics nearly offline. "It seems that you were correct after all. This is the end. As I have said before…"

Metal Sonic rerouted his remaining power into his good eye, staring at the hedgehog before him.

"There can only be one Sonic."

"…"

Sonic nodded slowly, watching the last of his double's energy fade into oblivion. His voice was soft as he spoke.

"Goodbye…my loathsome copy."

Metal Sonic fell to the floor, going offline for the last time.

"Sonic…?"

A soft voice called to him from the other side of the room, drawing his attention from the lifeless metal shell. Amy Rose stood shivering, wanting to cross the gap between them, but was too scared of what she might do if he were any closer to her.

Pieces of scrap metal slid and crumpled as one mangled Egg Dragoon forced itself up, locking onto Amy Rose with its depleting energy and charging up its energy blade. With a final slash, it sent a slicing wave towards the hedgehog girl, who was too terrified to move herself out of the way in time.

She stumbled and tripped over her own feet, hitting the wall behind her as the attack screamed on ahead. Gritting his teeth, Sonic pushed all that he could into a Chaos Control, sending himself in front of Amy and into the path of the attack.

"N-no…"

In slow motion, she watched as he appeared in front of her, taking the attack head-on, blood flying outwards from the impact even as he held his ground, only sliding back a few inches along the floor.

The mangled Dragoon had already gone offline as Sonic growled through his pain, blood leaking steadily onto the floor from the new slash on his chest.

"…No…I…I couldn't…"

"Amy…?"

She jumped at the sound of her name, still trembling in fear. "Sonic…I…"

"Are you okay, Amy?"

"I…I don't know…"

"Well…shoot…" He dropped to one knee quickly, feeling himself start to weaken from the blood loss.

"Oh…god…Sonic, I…I don't even know…why…"

"I told you that you're…important to me, Amy…"

"I just keep doing it…over and over, no matter how…strong I think I am…I keep getting you hurt…I keep killing you! Sonic, _I'm killing you_!"

"You're not doing anything like that…"

"Yes I am! I'm just a coward…I can't even control…myself! I killed him…Sonic, I killed Eggman with my own hands! And I _liked_ it! What…what am I?"

"You're my hope, Amy. I told you-"

"Don't you give me that garbage! Look at me! **I'm worthless!**" she screamed out.

"I see that the trash has been gathered in one place. How convenient."

Sonic looked up towards the approaching Hyperion as he strode across the wrecked room, armed soldiers surrounding the area and preventing no means of escape.

"So…you're Sonic the Hedgehog. I hear that you're a real champion of justice, are you not?"

"You've got my bio…why don't you glance through the pages again, check out what you missed," Sonic shot back icily.

The Emperor stepped forward and clenched a fist. "It would do you well to answer my questions…"

Sonic was then punched halfway across the room, flopping around like a rag doll and finally coming to a stop, a sobbing Amy rushing to his side.

"Sonic! Sonic! I…I-I…I can't…"

"It's okay…it's…alright, Amy. I…know how this'll end. Just how this'll end…for me…for you…this part of the story…"

He smiled up at her, using what little strength he had to grasp her hand in one of his.

"The next…it's up to you…"

"Up…to me…?" Amy asked, tears still falling down her face.

"Yeah. The Chaos Emerald…it's gonna be important, somehow…don't know exactly how…haven't seen that far…and you…you'll be…special…"

"Sonic, no…no, you're talking…like…"

"S'the end of the road…for me…"

"No, no! Sonic…don't leave me, please. Don't leave me…I need you…"

"I'm sorry…but…this is where we go our separate ways…Amy…can I get a last…request…?"

"…" She closed her eyes, not wanting to believe what she was hearing. Opening them again, she saw everything before her: a battered and broken Sonic, an approaching Emperor Hyperion, the remains of Metal Sonic and the Egg Dragoons around them…

"I…want you to believe…in a better future, no matter what…can you…"

"Yes," she said without hesitation. "Yes…Sonic, I will…I'll never stop believing. I promise you with all of my heart and soul…"

"Thanks, Ames…I'm glad that you haven't lost yourself…"

"I have you…to thank," she said, choking up.

"You…have the Emerald…right?"

"Yes…"

"Hold it in your hand…and close your eyes…"

"Yes…Sonic…"

She did as he asked, feeling the warm glow from the Chaos Emerald as Sonic drew on its power through her.

"I'm sending you to a…safe place…for now…"

"…I don't want to leave…"

"I know you don't."

"…I love you…"

She kissed him gently on the lips, for what would be the last time. The tears came down faster as she held his hand, not wanting to know what the next moment without him would be like.

"Sayonara, Amy Rose…"

"Sayonara…Sonic the Hedgehog…"

She smiled for him before disappearing in a flash of light, misty tears sparkling in the glow that filtered through the battered walls.

"This is it…huh…"

Hyperion took Sonic by the neck and raised him to eye level, sneering.

"Yes. This is the end for you, rodent."

"That's…funny. Your fate was sealed the moment you stepped onto this ship…for us, there ain't any future…"

"You arrogant…I'll kill you!" Hyperion snarled. "I'll tear you limb from limb, and then I'll find your little girlfriend-"

"You can't kill anyone, buddy…**you're already dead.**"

* * *

"It's time…!"

The earth had been torn apart for at least several miles around, the impacts of the building energy too much for the surrounding landscape. In the middle of a massive crater stood Shadow the Hedgehog, one arm pointed towards the sky above and crackling madly with energy.

Rocks and debris levitated in the air, suspended by the violent flow of energy that flooded the area. An insane grin formed on the dark hedgehog's face as he readied himself.

"This is the ultimate power…behold! Eggman! Aliens! And all who stand in my way! Disappear from this world…disappear from **my **world!"

The earth shook as Shadow pulled back his hand for a moment before thrusting it forward violently. The clouds high above parted before his power was even released, revealing three ships in proximity to each other.

"This is my…**Final Eclipse Cannon!**"

At once, the sky was swallowed up in a torrent of green light, consuming the bulks of the three ships all at once with room to spare. The oceans rolled back and the earth was crushed from the recoil of energy, sending waves of dust and rock that reached across the continent, and massive waves of water that dismantled even the toughest ships like cheap paper.

Satellites that floated in space were either obliterated by the blast or disabled from the blast wave that followed it. Many of the ships that composed the Galactic Empire's forces were instantly destroyed, and the remaining ones floated in a stunned horror, waiting to hear from their supreme leader for what to do on this situation.

Shadow held a smoking hand upwards, laughing like a lunatic at his handiwork, the sky split open above his head.

And in the cold reaches of space, a lone figure wiped her tears, knowing what needed to be done. She opened the appointed door and sealed herself behind it, holding the glowing gem in her hands tightly.

Emerald eyes closed slowly, and she slept, the embrace of the Sun unable to rouse her from her slumber, as it could not reach into the sealed room. The mornings would not come, and neither would the nights. Alone, suspended in the clutches of time.

This was the future made a reality.

This was the end of the story.


	20. No More Heroes

a/n: Another one. Hope you all enjoy this, and thanks for the support.

* * *

Two centuries had passed on Earth.

The remnants of the alien forces were eventually thinned out and destroyed with no remaining orders or help from the mother ship. However, there were no winners on either side of the equation, not even for the humans who drove out the invaders.

In the midst stood a maddened and enraged Shadow the Hedgehog, ready to exact his vengeance as promised. It started with guerrilla warfare as G.U.N combined its remaining forces to hunt him down. From there, the hedgehog became bolder and bolder, wiping out large scores of soldiers and all those who dared oppose him.

Years passed. Entire populations were wiped out, leaving once proud cities mere shells of themselves. Buildings rotted from the inside out, some falling apart of their own accord, and others being helped along by the pounding of Chaos Spears, rocket-propelled grenades, mortars, and all other manner of weapon that could be conceived. Laser cannons, air to ground missiles, and even a hydrogen bomb were employed in the desperate attempt to end the brutal war. There was increasing frustration at the inability to take down one hedgehog, and that led to the formation of splinter groups all across the planet. However, the smaller numbers only made easier for him to take them apart at his whim.

In his wave of destruction, Shadow made sure to hold to one commandment, given by his dear Maria so many years ago. Protecting the planet that she loved so deeply…that came first, and getting rid of the humans sullying it would do wonders for its health.

With that, the new face of the apocalypse was brought forth.

Instead of the dreary darkness and blackened oceans that would have come with an iron-fisted rule, there was an abundance of greenery and life. Asphalt was cracked and gave way to growing shrubs and weeds. No longer guarded, local parks became the new homes for several types of wildlife. Fish again swam the pristine oceans without fear of being pulled into oppressing nets, and several species started to flourish as the humans who once trolled the land sea, and sky started to disappear into nothingness.

Great fields of flowers grew along the yard lines of football fields, and jungles grew inside of hockey arenas. Many landmarks became dust as the time wore on, whether it was from nature or the incessant fighting that had plagued the planet for so many years.

Station Square itself had been reduced to grassland entirely. The city was good and thoroughly levelled in every aspect; not a building stood anywhere, and the lines on the streets had faded away to nearly nothing. What was once a bustling urban hub had disappeared from the face of the earth, without a trace.

"…"

Even with the reclamation of the Earth, Shadow had encountered one annoying pocket of resistance in his two hundred years of annihilation. A once proud city that now stood in the middle of nowhere served as the stronghold for a certain resistance, one that he hadn't bothered to take head-on as of yet. They could be reasoned with, or destroyed – they hadn't foolishly made any strikes against him as a whole, so he let them be for the time being. They would be the last to suffer his wrath.

A particular nuisance resided in this peculiar place, called Crisis City.

"That fool isn't well enough to fight yet. I'll go and pay his precious humans a little visit."

He knew the city well enough that he could warp himself to the main street, and he did so with ease. Shadow stood in the midst of the humans that remained, watching as many ran away in terror, while others foolishly stared him down in preparation for a fight.

"I'd advise you all to be calm," Shadow said, adjusting the jet black scarf around his neck. "If you do that, I might not hurt you. I just wanted to survey the town a bit…"

The humans raised their weapons at him; rifles, grenades, rockets…merely toys in his presence.

"Oh? Are you going to defy me?"

"Die, monster!"

Shadow watched as the explosive rockets came towards him, not even raising a hand as they passed through a barrier around him and then off into the sky above, detonating in a cloud of flame.

"Pity. Your life is forfeit."

Shadow had already appeared behind him, snapping his fingers to create a dimensional rift. The human screamed out as he was sucked into it and torn apart piece by piece. Seeing this, the rest of the resistance started to open fire, but Shadow dodged every attack with little effort, barely moving his feet on the ground. He snapped his fingers again and sent another human into a rift, then aimed behind himself and fired a Chaos Spear with one finger, obliterating the man behind him.

"I hope you'll stop shooting," he said wearily, stretching forth his hand in one direction. In an instant, a human girl was pinned underneath his foot, struggling to get free with tears in her eyes.

"Ah. So you're not complete savages after all," Shadow mused out loud. "I suppose that I should give you a preview of what's to come. You see, with a mere thought…I can make this girl feel unimaginable pain, incredible agony, twisted despair…or, I could just kill her. Personally, I think the latter's a lot less fuss," he said with a shrug. "What say you?"

"Let her go!"

Shadow silenced the dissenter with a burst of energy, erasing the man's upper half from existence. Piercing red eyes stared down at the girl, still trembling in his presence.

"You look like a screamer. Quick death for you it is, then."

"Please…spare me…please…"

The hedgehog's eyes seemed to soften for a moment. "…She wanted to be spared, too. She wanted to live and see what could have been. It was taken away from her, for no reason…"

A swirling pulse of energy gathered in his hand as he aimed towards her.

"And so…as you took from me…as you _all_ took from me…"

She closed her eyes, the tears refusing to stop.

"I will take-"

"Get away from her!"

Shadow raised a hand to stop a burst of light energy from hitting him in the head. Standing far back was an unfamiliar face…

Tattered jeans, white tank-top, blue vest…and…those sneakers. Red with a white stripe down the side, and a golden buckle. The same as _his_ sneakers.

Wasn't that a nice coincidence?

Shadow stared down the intruder, taking in her features and reading her energies for any possible threat. Her quills were long and unkempt; some tied into a long braid at her back, some spilling down her shoulders, and a few poking up on the left side of her head as she clenched her fists. Deep lavender eyes drilled into his as she shot forward, sunlight shining down brightly on her olive fur.

In a streak of light, she shot behind him, leaving an afterimage in her wake just ahead. Shadow ignored the feint and fired his prepared pulse at her. It phased through her body and destroyed a building in the distance.

"Huh. Some new tricks…"

She slashed at him with a combat knife from above, extending its reach with a long blade of light as it came for Shadow's head. He expertly dodged and grabbed the edge, slamming the girl to the ground and setting upon her in a flash, pinning her against a nearby wall. The frightened human scampered away as fast as she could, free of Shadow's clutches.

"What did you think you were doing?" he asked curiously. Didn't they know that it was useless to try to fight at this point? He had become more powerful than anyone could imagine!

"I was saving that girl's life," she responded defiantly. Her eyes stared back into his, shaking slightly with fear…but there was a sense of resilience and courage that he hadn't seen in a long while.

"Almost reminds me of…" He shook his head of the thought. There was no more time for flashbacks. "I'm guessing that you're part of this little pocket of resistance. And a strong one, at that."

"Do I scare you, Shadow?"

She gave a smile, revealing a gap from a few missing teeth on one side of her mouth in the process. Scars and chips at the ones that were intact were visible to him as well as he leaned in closer, boring himself into her memory.

"Are you going to kill me?"

"Eventually."

"Cute," she spat at him, trembling as he inched closer.

"The fear in your eyes is obvious."

"Yeah? So what?"

"You don't have to have it end this way. You have a choice."

"A…choice?"

"Yes. A choice to be free of this kind of life, forever. Join me, and you will never know suffering again."

The idea of a better, more peaceful life ran through her thoughts for a moment. A chance to finally be free of this nightmare for good. A chance to become truly something, truly **powerful**.

She sighed and raised her head.

"I've made my choice."

In a swift motion, she slammed her skull into Shadow's, catching him off-guard for a split second. He recovered before she could follow with another attack, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her into the wall so hard that it cracked apart.

"Disappear, wench."

Before Shadow could plunge his hand through her heart, he caught a flying object in the corner of his eye. His barrier went up quickly, redirecting the blade with Chaos Control…

…or so he thought.

_It's __**that**__…__!_

In the nick of time, Shadow jumped backwards and dodged the full force of the sword, escaping with only a cut on his cheek.

_It has to be…_

"**You…**"

Shadow's voice was full of contempt as he faced the new nuisance, who called his sword back to his hands. Bandages covering his arms and legs, the silvery hedgehog waved a hand and brought down a steel beam between the olive-furred hedgehog and Shadow, keeping him at bay for the short time that he needed.

"You okay, Lucy?"

"M'fine, Silver! You should be resting!"

"No rest for the weary, you know. Besides, I heard that Shadow was in town…so I had to see what was going on."

With a burst of Chaos energy, Shadow cleared the rubble from his path.

"You're awake and healthy, Silver. After the beating I gave you the last time, I'm honestly surprised. You were a mess."

"Well…I got better," the hedgehog said bluntly.

"That I can see. I suppose you're ready to meet your maker this time, then?"

"We'll see about that. Lucy…time for you to go."

"No way! Silver, I'm staying!" she protested.

"I'm sure you don't want to die here, Lucille. You're my protégé, remember? If anything happens to me…"

"I know that! But you're all we've got, Silver!"

"Not true. We have hope, don't we?"

"But…what if that's not enough? Silver…"

"She's right, you know. Sometimes hope alone won't cut it."

The three turned to the new voice that had appeared, emerging from the tall grass that surrounded the run-down area. Her boots were scuffed from the wear of her journey, and she was wrapped in a black, hooded cloak to keep away the elements. The black blouse and pink skirt she wore were perfectly intact, and her quills were wild and unruly from the years of travelling.

Throwing back her hood, she gave a sad, yet soothing smile to the black hedgehog before her.

"Long time no see, Shadow."

"That presence…so it _is_ you."

An amused smirk appeared on his face.

"You're the last person I expected to see, Amy Rose."

She nodded and calmly turned her head towards the other two present. "Silver, take Lucille with you to a safe place. I'll handle Shadow for now."

Silver's golden eyes blinked rapidly. "Wait…how?"

"I'll explain everything in time. But you need to be alive if I'm going to do that, right?" she said with a soft smile. "So get going. I'll see you soon."

"But…Miss, Shadow is-" Lucy was interrupted as she was picked up by Silver's psychokinesis. "Hey!"

"Let's listen to the nice lady and get our butts out of dodge!" he yelled while sheathing his sword on his back.

"Silver!"

"Just trust her! She's gotta know what she's doing…" He gulped. "Well…I hope…"

Amy watched the two move away with a smile, dropping her cloak to the ground below. "Shall we begin, Shadow?"

"Fine with me. It's your funeral, Rose," he said, cracking his neck.

"No…not quite. I can't die just yet, Shadow."

Dark pulses of energy covered her hands, and her emerald eyes started to darken. Summoning her Piko Piko Hammer, she pointed it forward towards her opponent, determination etched onto her face.

"I've got a story to finish."


	21. The Future Is Rosy

a/n: Cool, finished this too. Felt good about this one. Hope you all enjoy, and thanks for the support.

* * *

Silver stopped and landed on one of the few buildings still intact in the city, gently letting down Lucy as well.

"How'd she know us, Silver?"

"No clue," he said absentmindedly, watching the explosions rising up from the battle.

"She's not from around here."

"I know. Not even from this time period, either."

"What?"

"Just a hunch. Seems like Shadow's known her from a while back."

"So?"

"So, Shadow was apparently 'born' back in the twentieth century. Most of Earth's well known heroes were killed during the invasion back in the twenty-first century."

Lucy looked down at her shoes, replicas of the ones worn by the famous speedster from that era, Sonic the Hedgehog. There had been many stories about him passed down throughout the ages, and a small hope that somehow he would return to help save the Earth.

However, she knew that after two hundred years, it wasn't possible that he was still around. This strange woman seemed to be from about the same place in time…how that was possible, she did not know. Did she travel here from the past, somehow?

"All very mysterious…but at this rate…"

She watched as another office tower was reduced to dust.

"There won't be much of the city left."

"There wouldn't be much of _us_ left if we stayed down there, you know. I think we should head to the shelter."

"Are you _sure_ we should leave her alone like this?" Lucy asked.

"I'm sure enough. She said that she would find us later. I don't think she'd say something like that without a reason behind it."

* * *

"Why won't you just _disappear_?"

Shadow smashed a fist through a brick wall, barely missing Amy's head as she dodged to one side. Her hammer came around in a wide arc and hit him squarely in the side, sending him tumbling along the ground before recovering quickly.

He jumped out of the way of her hammer as it destroyed the earth below it, sending up dust and debris. He kicked her in the face before she could react and drove an elbow into her stomach, making her stumble backwards in pain. She coughed loudly as he grabbed her by the quills and threw her face first into the dirt.

"Irritating little-"

She lashed out with a kick, causing him to step back for a moment. Using the time wisely, Amy summoned her hammer and swung at his face, barely missing as he jumped back to avoid it. She spun around and placed her hands in front of herself, making a heart shape with her fingers in the process.

"**Storming**** Hearts!**"

The pink burst hit Shadow and sent him flying through several walls before he came to a stop. Amy brandished her hammer in front of her as she ran to catch up with the dark hedgehog.

She stopped in her tracks as he suddenly placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Nice trick. Sorry that it didn't work out too well."

He fired a burst of energy through her back, leaving her to stagger forward before falling face-first to the ground.

"A pity…you seemed to have potential, Rose." He frowned at the damage he had taken on during the battle. It was far more than he had experienced in the last two centuries, aside from that one fight with Silver years ago. He certainly didn't expect Amy to put up the fight she did, and was surprised when he had to catch his breath for a moment during one of her charges.

The cut from Silver's blade stung his pride, but these wounds…they didn't bother him as much. They were even satisfying in a way. It was a shame that she would die soon. He watched her blood start to stain the dirt around it crimson as she tried to move.

"You're only going to get in my way…a remnant of the past gone by. While your faith and purity are commendable, they are not needed in this world of mine."

"…"

"I'm afraid that this is over."

"N-n….no…it's not…"

Black swirls of energy started to rise from her body, the gaping wound closing itself up slowly. Struggling, Amy pushed herself up from the dirt, spitting the blood from her mouth as she stared at Shadow. His eyes narrowed as the damage healed itself completely.

"You've done something to yourself."

"…This is all that I am, Shadow."

"What?"

"I…for this kind of power, I give up myself. I give myself to that power, no matter what it might do to me, and in exchange, I can do many things that shouldn't be possible. I can…defy reality itself, if I give up enough of myself."

"Yourself? You mean…" He growled at the realization. "You fool! Trading your soul for power? That's just like that foolish echidna!"

"He had a reason to do it. The Master Emerald needed a guardian, and Knuckles felt responsible for that. He made that wish for immortality at the cost of his own existence…because he needed to. That was what he felt. I, on the other hand…I don't really have a reason why I did it. I just gave in to my anger. Eating away at my existence, just for a chance to be stronger. I have a reason _now_, though. A good one. I have to keep going, and I have to fight on for this future of ours. I promised him…that I would never stop believing in a better tomorrow, for all of us that are left."

"…"

"After all of this wandering, I've finally figured out how to make things right. I know what needs to be done. Won't you help me, Shadow?"

"Help you do what?"

"I want to change the past. Together, we could do it…together we could make a better way, so that everything doesn't have to end the way it did, all of those years ago."

"You can't just erase the last two hundred years!" he yelled at her.

"I know," she replied sadly. "Though I wish I could…I cannot. But at a certain point in time…if we change an outcome…"

"…You…you realize what that would mean, right?"

"…."

"We'd end up fighting that war again, for these worthless, pathetic humans. The ones that would leave us by the wayside if we ever needed help. All they've done is betray us whenever they felt threatened. Even your friend…she tried to take care of things with no regard for your existence. Look where that got you. Look where trusting these humans got all of us."

"Shadow…"

"I won't do it. You'll have to make me a mindless slave before I would ever comply…and I'd end my own existence before it got anywhere _near_ that point. Do you understand me, Rose?"

"I do."

"…I should kill you right here. But I won't." He turned his back on her. "There's a cost to your actions…a price for what you want to do."

"There is."

"I hope you're prepared to pay it, Amy Rose."

"…"

In a flash of light, Shadow was gone.

Amy looked at the blood that stained the ground around her feet, thinking on Shadow's words. She knew what he meant by 'cost'.

"I'm ready to pay in full, Shadow. I just need some time…"

A heavy sigh escaped her lips, and she too vanished in a burst of light.

* * *

"_Knuckles? Is that you?"_

_Amy Rose had managed to land on Angel Island, the trajectory of the ship she was in leading towards one of the vast forests that covered the isle. Luckily, she had landed in a familiar place, near the Emerald Shrine. Knuckles stood there, seemingly unfazed by her sudden arrival. He made no movement towards her. _

_She found that odd, as the Knuckles she knew would have said something, whether it was a simple hello or a scolding for landing the way she did._

"_Knuckles! It's me, Amy!"_

"…"

_She looked at him curiously. "Knuckles…?"_

"_My apologies," he said tonelessly. "I had to search his memories for your information. Amy Rose…I see."_

"_Search…memories? Knuckles," she said nervously, "that's not a very funny joke, and not like you at all. What happened?"_

"_I am sorry, Miss Rose."_

"_This…this isn't funny. Knuckles, quit it-"_

"_I am not Knuckles."_

_She slapped him across the face, tears starting to well up in her eyes. "Don't play games with me! We're probably the only two left, and you're playing around like this? Not even Sonic would do something so stupid!"_

"_I…am not Knuckles. I am the Guardian of the Master Emerald. Knuckles the Echidna no longer exists. I have obtained his body, his voice, and his memories. But I am not him."_

_The echidna placed a hand on the Master Emerald. "He is now a part of the treasure he so wished to protect. I truly am sorry, Amy Rose."_

_Looking deeply into his violet eyes, Amy realized he really was telling her the truth. The same presence that she felt from Knuckles…it wasn't there. Nothing was there at all…_

"_Knuckles is…him too? I can't believe…that isn't possible…that **can't** be possible!"_

"…"

"_He…just for this **stupid** rock! Couldn't he think about anything else? That selfish bastard, leaving me alone like this! **I hate him, I hate him, I hate him!** I…I…"_

_She broke down, sobbing into the Guardian's chest as he stood silently. Reaching into his memories, he softly put an arm around the girl, attempting to soothe her pain._

* * *

"I'm here."

Amy Rose appeared inside the Paradise Ward, an ironic name for a place stuck in the middle of a ruined city. It was large, large enough to contain the population within with ease. People from all walks of life gathered here in the underground, humans and non-humans alike. Some of the inhabitants were of the planet Gloriole, defectors from their failing army that sought refuge from the fighting. It took several decades, but they were accepted among the displaced resistance as well.

"An underground city, huh…" She turned to face Silver and Lucy as they walked towards her. "Pretty nice setup here."

"It uses a cloaking technology to make it non-existent to Shadow. It took some Chaos Energy and some of his DNA…the latter was the toughest to get, as you can guess," Silver said.

"I can imagine. Are you feeling any better, Silver?"

"A little. I'll be fine, though…"

"Here, give me your hand."

"Uh…"

"Just trust me, okay?" she said with a smile.

"Alright…" She took his hand in hers and concentrated, flowing her energies through his body. Silver blinked as he felt himself return to full strength, maybe even beyond that.

"Whoa. Thank you…I feel like I wasn't even hurt at all! That's amazing!"

"You…what happened to you?"

Silver looked over at Lucy. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

"There was a darkness coming from her just now. When she was healing you, Silver."

"I didn't see anything, Lucy."

"…"

She shook her head. "…Yeah. Sorry. Must have been the light playing tricks on me. I think I need some rest."

"You do that. You've been through a lot today. Hey, how about you take Amy with you to your place? I think you've got the space. If not, I'll give up my place for her, since I'll be out looking for supplies this week."

"Is that okay with you, Lucille?" Amy asked.

"Yeah. That's just fine. Follow me."

"I'll see you ladies later, then," Silver said. "Thank you, Miss Rose."

"Call me Amy, both of you."

"Alrighty, then. Take care all the same."

"Goodbye, Silver."

"Later, Silver."

Lucy went on ahead, with Amy following silently.

"…You…saw it, didn't you?"

The olive hedgehog stopped in her tracks.

"I…we found some Chaos Drives at one point. Well, more like a whole stockpile of them. Thought that we could use them to help bring our power up against Shadow and those rival armies that attacked us. But when some of us started using them…it was…really bad. They had this darkness around them."

"Like I do."

"Yeah."

"I traded my heart for power. They must have done it as well. It's the worst deal you could possibly make, but you usually don't realize until it's too late."

"Amy, are you…going to disappear?"

She nodded softly. "Unless I stop using my abilities completely, and use a Chaos Emerald to balance myself, there's really nothing that I can do."

"The Chaos Emeralds don't exist, though…"

"One does, Lucy. I have it with me."

Lucy grabbed Amy by the hand and raced over to her home, which was spaced like a one-bedroom apartment. She locked the door and grabbed Amy by the shoulders tightly.

"A Chaos Emerald? You have…have one?"

"Yes," she replied calmly. "You realize why I can't use it, right?"

"…That makes sense. Shadow would...yeah. I get it."

"If I knew how to bring back the other six, maybe…maybe something else could be done. But that's not the case here. We only have this one to use…and I know how I'm going to use it."

"How? Are you going to defeat Shadow with it?"

"…It's something far bigger than that. Defeating Shadow won't make things right."

"The only way to 'make things right' is to rewrite the past, and everyone knows-"

Lucy stopped and backed away from Amy.

"Oh…oh, no. No no no no…that's crazy. That's impossible."

"Lucille..."

"How exactly do you plan to do something like that? The Chaos Emerald?"

"…You actually need two of them."

"H-huh…really…" Lucy sat down on the nearby couch, her mind nearly fried from all of the information. "Two of them. But you said…"

"Chaos Emeralds have an infinite amount of energy. The Master Emerald, as its controller, has the same properties, more or less. Shadow can't make use of the Master Emerald because of the fact that the Guardian is immortal…but I doubt that he would let either of us try to use it either."

She sighed. "If only for a moment, a power equal to a Chaos Emerald could be generated for a Chaos Control, along with the true Chaos Emerald's power, potentially, a hole in time and space could be opened. Using that portal, and the memories of the past, one could go back in time…"

"…and create a new branch of the timeline. From where it all began. Changing the future by creating a brand new one," Lucy finished. "But then…where can we get so much energy at once from? We have that one Emerald, yeah. We need a catalyst for that other energy source."

"She's right here," Amy replied.

"Don't be ridiculous, you'll most likely die if you did something like that…no." She stared accusingly at the pink hedgehog. "You knew that already. You knew how dangerous this could be from the start. Well, ask someone else. I'm not helping you kill yourself. That's crazy, and you're not exactly stable yourself, if I must say."

She rose and shuffled off her sneakers. "I'm gonna take a shower. You can check out my room if you want, since you'll be crashing there. See you in a few, Amy."

Lucy left Amy leaning against the door, thinking to herself. Maybe she _was_ crazy, and this was a long shot at working.

"…Lots of consequences, huh? Well…you miss all of the shots you don't take."

Nodding to herself, she took a seat on the couch and closed her eyes. Perhaps sleep would clear her head.

On the other hand…she sort of wished it wouldn't.


	22. The Past Is Tense

a/n: Another one. Hope you all enjoy, and anything you have to say, I appreciate.

* * *

"Hey. You up?"

"I am now."

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it, Lucy. I don't want to get too comfortable, now."

Shadow's last visit to Crisis City had been three months ago. Since that time, Amy had gotten to know the inhabitants of Paradise Ward while she stayed with Lucille. Silver was a psychokinetic hedgehog with a strong sense of justice, as well as a long list of injuries to his credit. The sword he carried with him was special, being a mix of super-strong materials and infused with Chaos Energy, which made it a very useful tool against the likes of Shadow.

His optimism was seemingly inexhaustible, no matter what the situation. It reminded Amy of Sonic in many ways, which was as pleasant as it was painful for her. He took on a lot of combat, but was surprisingly pacifistic as Amy found out one day. If it were up to him, he would not be fighting. However, Shadow was a major problem, and he felt that he was responsible for doing whatever he could to stop him since he had the power to do so.

Lucy also had some striking similarities to Sonic, though she was more sarcastic and blunt when it came to her personality. She hated seeing others hurt, and especially hated seeing people hurt themselves, which was why she was so opposed to Amy's plan. Like Silver, she carried a special gift, which was in her case the power to use light itself as a weapon. Amy had commented on how her name - Lucille Flower - was an interesting fit for her because of that fact.

"I'm gonna go for a walk. You coming?"

"Have you eaten yet, Lucy?"

"Yeah. Still not used to oatmeal yet, but you were right. The berries make it taste a lot better."

"See, told you so."

"You bowl's on the counter. Should still be warm."

"Thanks." Amy stretched her arms before rolling out of bed for the day.

After eating breakfast, Amy went on her way and caught up with Lucy, who was walking through the outskirts of Crisis City. She waved to the resistance fighters on patrol as they greeted her.

"Hey, Amy!"

"Morning, Amy."

"How's it going?"

She gave them all a smile as she passed. "I'm fine, thank you for asking. Take care of yourselves, okay?"

"We will!"

"Bye, Miss Rose!"

"See you, Amy!"

"Well, aren't you Miss Popular?" Lucy said with a grin as they walked together. "You just swooped right in and stole everyone's hearts, just like that. Of course, saving the city from total annihilation probably helped. A little."

"Go figure, huh?" Amy replied with a smile. She took in the sights around with wonder, smelling the clean air and feeling the gentle breezes under her quills. The sun shone down warmly upon the two as they walked, brushing aside the green grass with their footsteps.

They could see nothing ahead for miles but grassland and the trees that liked to pop up at certain intervals - almost as if they were planted, but with enough randomness to make it clear that it was not so. What helped the theory was the fact that they were all fruit trees, the one closest to them being an apple tree. Lucy jumped up and picked two for herself and Amy. The pink hedgehog bit into the fruit without hesitation, marvelling at its sweetness.

"I've never had an apple this good," she commented.

"I'm used to them by now, but they really _are_ great," Lucy replied, finishing hers off quickly and hopping up for another.

"You know...this might be a sick thought, but this future...it's really peaceful. I feel so calm here, so at home. Everything's beautiful, in a way. The situation could be better...but..."

"...Really? What's it like in the past, Amy?"

"There's a lot more clutter, you could say. All those ruined cities used to be filled with people, and they'd drive their cars, use electricity, pollute, and litter...all at the expense of the Earth itself. There were wars back then, too. Most of them were pointless, bloody wars. But there were others that were for very noble causes. People gave up their lives for the sake of others. It's just so strange, you know? Mother Nature's taken back what's hers, but for some reason...though it's so beautiful and all, it just doesn't feel exactly..."

"Right."

"Yes, it doesn't feel right for some reason. Our planet's so much better off the way it is now. But that brings in a bigger question. The planet's well off, but is Earth as a whole better for this?"

"Well..." Lucy finished her apple and swallowed before speaking. "Put it this way. Let's say that you have a metal bucket. If you keep using it for water, eventually it'll get rusty and all, and there'll be a few holes in it. You can't really use it after that, unless you fix it. You can also leave it as is, and not use it at all. It won't get wet all the time, and it probably won't rust or anything because you're not filling it up with water all the time."

She fiddled with a seed stuck between her teeth before spitting it out. "The situation's kind of the same, I think. It's so easy to say that the Earth would be better off without us meddling, but look at how many things have come out of us all being here and using its resources. Sure, we get some losses along the way - some holes in the bucket - but it's nothing that we can't handle, really. The choice comes down to whether we want to take a chance on that. That's really all it is."

"Hm…you may have a point."

"Hey, isn't there a way to go back to that time, Amy? You know, where you could make a difference with all that you've learned?"

"It's not really possible. Besides, if anything backfires, I'll be able to handle it better than you can, Lucy."

"That's probably the case," she said, scratching the back of her head. "I still don't like it, though."

"Whenever you're ready, Lucy. I can't push you into this."

Lucy sighed and walked on, Amy following as she took another bite of her apple.

* * *

"Amy?"

"Yeah?"

"Oh. I was wondering if you were still around. Have you seen Silver anywhere?"

It was now a year since Shadow had last appeared in Crisis City. Lucy had still not taken up Amy's request to travel to the past, using herself as one energy source and the blue Chaos Emerald as the other. Her insistence on finding another way seemed to aggravate Silver as well as amuse Amy to no end.

"He's just returned from a patrol. You should see him outside somewhere." Amy was currently sitting on the couch, one leg crossed over the other as she meditated.

"Thanks." The olive hedgehog sped out, looking for her old friend and mentor as she ran through the underground city. She spotted him with a green sack slung over his shoulder as he walked. The worn hilt of his sword was angled to one side as usual.

"Silver!"

"Hey, Lucy."

"Anything happen on patrol?"

"No, nothing really. Just a few fights, nothing serious. Still…I have a bad feeling right now."

"The same bad feeling that you've been talking about for the past year. And let me guess, I'm supposed to take up Amy on her offer and go off to the past somehow."

"Lucy-"

"Silver, we've been through this. I won't do it, especially if it means that she dies."

He sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Listen, Lucy. I know that it's hard to think about, but it might be something that you're forced to do. If something happens, and all of us get wiped out, what then? Who'll change our fates in that case?"

"If what Amy said is true, then there are a bunch of different timelines running beside this one, where things are worse, and we can't do a thing about those."

"And if what Amy said is true, then there are also a bunch of timelines that we could make _better_. We can go back and make a difference, Lucy."

"Going back doesn't guarantee-"

"I know," Silver interrupted. "I know. But we have to try. We just have to."

"…You can do it if you want," she said, turning away. "But I can't."

"You're the only one of us that can do so, Lucy. You're the one."

"Why? Because she said I was?" Lucy said, incredulous.

Silver nodded. "That's exactly why."

As much as Lucy wanted to argue with that logic, it almost seemed to make sense in a way. She had lived with Amy for a year, and saw her for who she was – a sweet, kind, loving soul. Even surrounded by people, Lucy felt that most of the time, she was lonely, all alone in the world around her. After meeting Amy, all of that had changed.

She knew that it was extremely selfish to put off possibly saving the world because of someone she cared about, but it couldn't be any other way. There was no way that she would have anything happen to her if she could at all help it.

"It doesn't matter, Silver. I won't do it."

"Amy would want-"

"It's not about what she-!" Lucy grit her teeth as she stopped herself. "I…I mean…"

"…I think I get it. I'll talk to you later, okay?" He started on his way again.

"Wait, Silver!" She stretched a hand towards him hesitantly.

"Yeah?"

"You know…that I didn't mean that! I really…"

"Lucy, I've known you for a long time, now. I know what you meant. I just wanted to get some sleep in before I said anything else."

"Yeah…sorry. I'll see you soon, then."

"Yup! Later, Lucy."

She let her hand drop to one side, watching sadly as Silver left. She knew that she was being selfish and stubborn, but this was what she felt. What did the past have to with her? Why did she have to try to change things that had already happened?

Why did there have to be so many hard decisions to make, anyways? It used to be so simple…it all used to be so simple.

"Hey. Everything okay?"

"Amy…" Lucy turned to her friend as she approached. "I was just talking to Silver, that's all. Everything's fine."

"I don't know about that," she replied, tilting her head to one side. "You seem very troubled."

"I was just thinking about something."

"About my situation, no doubt."

"…"

"I think I was right," Amy said with a smile. "And you're torn between your loyalties. Lucy, I really like you. I know you really like me too. Am I right?"

"O-of course!"

"Good. So…you know I understand your feelings, right? That's why I haven't pushed you into making any decisions."

"But-"

Amy put a finger to her lips. "You haven't quite figured it out yet. I'm all about making you happy, because I know what it's like to be selfish as well."

"You do?"

"Do you think I really want you to leave? For this time to end? Of course not! But…sometimes we have to do things that we don't like at all. Things that…are hard to swallow, to understand at first. I don't want you to go, but I know you have to. And I know that you _will_ go, even though the consequences will hurt for a while. As for me…I know my fate. I'm scared of what will happen. Will it hurt? Will you be hurt? What if something goes wrong? All of those questions bother me."

"What do you do then?"

"I think of you and all of the ones that I loved…smiling. You all have beautiful smiles, and I can see them so clearly. From that, I have so much hope, that everything will be alright soon. That we can accomplish anything we try. I believe in you, and I believe in myself."

Amy took Lucy's hand.

"Can you believe in me, Lucy?"

"Amy…I…"

The ground below them suddenly started shaking. Bits of rock fell from the high ceiling, and clouds of dust started to settle on the housings nearby. It stopped abruptly, only for frantic yelling to rise up in its place.

"Something's going on," Lucy muttered. She twitched her ears, catching bits of conversation around her. "A generator…? Something about it…"

"The barrier…it's down," Amy said softly.

"Say what?"

"Lucy! Amy!" Silver ran towards them. "The barrier keeping us from Shadow – it's out of commission! Something tore up the city from above ground! Had to be him! Dammit, we should have gotten that backup running sooner-"

In no time flat, Shadow had appeared behind Silver.

"It was only a matter of time, I see. See you later, kid."

"**Silver!**"

Lucy's scream came a moment too late, as Shadow fired a Chaos Spear before Silver could react.

"**Nooooo!**"

Silver rolled along the ground, coming to a stop as blood splashed out from where he once stood.

"Silver! Silver!" His protégé rushed to his side.

"Ugh…Lucy…I'm okay. I'm fine. But…"

"Then who…?"

"Nice of you to drop in, Shadow." Amy held up her hand, dripping blood onto the ground. Another second and skewered would be an understatement for Silver…

"You still oppose me, Rose? How foolish."

"I already told you…I have a story to finish."

"It's been a year. Have you grown since then?"

A small smile graced her lips as she stepped forward. "If you're interested, I could satisfy your curiosity."

"You're sure about that, now?"

Tapping her foot, a circle of light quickly surrounded the two. "**Chaos Control!**"

Watching them disappear, Silver rubbed his head, looking on as Lucy ran towards him with a glowing gem in her hands.

"Lucy, that's-"

"There's no time, Silver! We have to go after them! Please!"

With little hesitation, Silver nodded, noting the bad vibes from earlier hitting him full force. His gut was telling him that Lucy would have to make her decision sooner rather than later if things got bad enough. Whatever the case…if anything happened to Amy, everyone was likely done for. No turning back this time.

They had to finish Shadow. Right _now_.

"Let's get moving!" He grabbed the Emerald and focused, recalling all of his training with the Chaos Drives and his duels with Shadow. This had to work! It would work!

"**Chaos…Control!**"


	23. Reverse to Absolution

a/n: Took me a while to get this part finished. I hope that it's a good one...and that the ending isn't too cheesy.

I guess you'll see what I mean. Anyways, thanks for all the support, as always.

* * *

Shadow and Amy danced along the rooftops of Crisis City, the sun shining down on them lovingly. The weather seemed to be oblivious to the torrent of destruction going on below, clear blue skies obscured by clouds of dust as buildings and ruined highways crumbled.

The black hedgehog fired a Chaos Spear at his opponent, sending her downwards through the top of an office tower. Landing among ruined cubicles, Amy Rose caught her breath and started to draw on more of the dark energy inside of her. The Guardian had told her that she did have a chance to set herself right…but this was more important. She only needed to be a factor for a little while longer.

She raised her arms to block a downward kick from Shadow, the shockwave tearing apart the ancient desks and consoles nearby. Amy slid into a clean parry and landed a hard punch to Shadow's chest, sending him careening through the glass windows behind him and towards the streets below. She gave chase and jumped after him, not wanting to give him a chance to recover. Her hand grabbed his neck, and she whirled around in the air before throwing him down like a bullet, the asphalt shattering to pieces in a wave as he hit the ground.

Amy continued her assault, a surge of energy surrounding her hand as she made a fist. Shadow's eyes opened as she arrived, and she drove her fist into the ground where he lay, the crater deepening even more from the impact.

"Missed, huh…"

"Chaos Lance!"

A shining white arrow of energy ripped through the space behind Amy, forcing her to dodge as the attack grazed her shoulder painfully. Her flinch opened up another opportunity for Shadow, and he took advantage by tagging her with an open palm, using Chaos Control to send her into the skies. He appeared above her and drove an elbow into her back, sending her shooting towards the earth. He then warped to the ground below and kicked her sideways, through an abandoned grocery store. Amy rolled roughly across the broken tiles, only to receive a kick upwards by Shadow as he lay in wait for her. He warped above her position and caught her again as she flew upwards, holding her by the collar of her blouse.

"I guess you were off the mark, yeah."

Amy groggily blinked the dust out of her eyes, blood gathering slowly in her mouth.

"I, however, don't miss. This would be a good time for target practice, yeah?" He simply let her fall out of his grasp, pulling one hand back as it glowed with energy.

Amy winced and put her arms in front of her as the world refused to stop spinning around.

"First shot…**Nightmare**** Cannon!**"

A black pulse of energy shot down and hit Amy, sending her crashing through the store again. She barely rose up before he shoved her down with another pulse of energy, followed by several more as she blocked with all that she could. Her arms burned fiercely with each successive blast, and she struggled to focus herself.

He stopped his barrage for a moment, floating slowly to the ground and raising one hand to the sky as it danced with energy.

"I guess we'll end it here."

Shadow brought his arm down, fingers pointed like a gun barrel towards where Amy lay. She stood up, feeling the energy starting to bear down on her. Gritting her teeth, she pushed her energies into her right hand, a swirling golden current wrapping around it.

"It won't be that easy, Shadow," she said quietly.

"Disappear, woman. **Eclipse**** Cannon!**"

The sky above Amy's head disappeared as a blinding green light swallowed it up. She roared in defiance and raised her hand to the heavens, the golden current whirling violently.

"Not yet! **Super**** Sonic**** Wind!**"

Amy's attack sliced upwards through Shadow's, leaving him no time to escape as it hit him full force. The blast wave tore apart several buildings ahead, a wide trench left in its wake. Shadow stood in the middle; his fur singed and body smouldering.

He dropped the arm he had used to fend off the brunt of Amy's counterattack, a grunt coming from his throat as blood dripped down from it. Amy sunk to her knees, her breathing tense and laboured as her fur started to lighten in colour.

"I'm…honestly impressed. If there were a battle of pure power, I'm sure you would prevail, Rose. However…"

Wisps of vapour trailed off of the black hedgehog as his wounds started to heal.

"This isn't as simple as that. My power is as close to limitless as one can get. Yours on the other hand is finite. The strain's taking its toll on you, isn't it?"

Amy struggled to lift her head, sweat dripping down from her face and onto the warm street below. Her body was starting to fight her, she realized. There wasn't much time left, but Shadow was right – she didn't have the means to sustain any kind of assault that would take him out for long. That last move she had worked on for years, the one thing that she hoped would serve as a tribute to her hero…it hadn't exactly been useless, but the toll it took on her was heavier than she could bear.

_It__'__s __not __looking __good,__is __it?_ _I__'__m __not__ sure __what __I __can __do __at __this __point__…__and__ I __need__ to__ save __myself __for__ that __one __thing._

"You're…so troublesome, Shadow…"

"Surely you didn't think this would be an easy fight?"

Amy slowly rose to her feet. "Never hurt to dream, right?"

"Never did. Unfortunately, dreams don't always survive. Time to put this one away," he said, dashing towards Amy. Before he could reach her, a recognizable sword crossed his path, jamming itself into the street and causing him to stop. Shadow looked upwards, sensing a familiar energy…

"As I thought. Back to meddle, Silver?"

The silver hedgehog stood on a nearby rooftop. "Sure, if you say so."

"What about your friend? Has she come back for more punishment as well?" Shadow turned and blocked an incoming punch from the olive hedgehog, tossing her back roughly. She slid to a stop, taking a battle stance as she stared him down.

"Right. I suppose those were both rhetorical questions, then."

"You…get away from Amy," Lucy said in a cold tone.

"What, should I focus my efforts on you, then? If that's your wish, make sure that you don't regret it."

"Shut your mouth. I'll really kill you, Shadow."

"Oh? Come and try, then."

"Lucy! Don't let him work you up!" Silver yelled.

"It's too late for that," she said to herself. "Trying to kill my friends…unforgivable." She shot forward in a burst of light, throwing a straight punch towards Shadow. He dodged as if she were moving in slow motion, stepping to one side and smacking her with the back of his hand.

The move caught Lucy off-guard, and she stumbled to one side as Shadow slapped her again, then grabbed her by her quills and tossed her aside.

"Don't play games. You're not anywhere near my level."

"You…you…" Lucy growled and drew her knife, racing back towards Shadow. He quickly slapped her again as she closed in, then pulled her close and drove his knee into her stomach. She coughed violently and staggered back; Shadow lined up a haymaker, driving his fist into her skull and forcing her to her knees. Lucy stared blankly into the distance, her vision scrambled and her head throbbing.

"Like I told you, you're not even close to me. Do you want to die that badly?"

"Lucy! Shoot, I have to get to her…!" Silver took off from his position, screaming through the air towards Shadow. A steel beam trailed him as he flew, and he flicked his wrist to send it hurtling towards Shadow.

The black hedgehog simply raised a hand and stopped the beam, watching it crumple against itself from the impact before falling to the ground. He jumped up and launched a kick towards Silver, who dodged swiftly to one side.

Shadow warped himself so that he was right above Silver, and shot downwards with another kick, only…to miss?

The silver hedgehog had disappeared into thin air.

"What the…?"

"Hey, Shadow!"

Silver's hands moved in a blur before he fired a burst of energy at Shadow, who jumped into the air, dodging easily.

"Pointless...what?"

"Raaaaahhh!"

Just then, Silver came down from above at lightning speed, sword held over his head. He brought it down in a flash, Shadow caught off guard for a split second. The blade cut into the black hedgehog's chest before a violent burst of energy pushed it off. Silver and the others flew off in a torrent of red energy as Shadow unleashed his Chaos Blast in anger.

"He actually cut me…!"

The wound was healing slower than usual, no thanks to the properties of that sword, Shadow deduced. If that attack had actually landed, then-

He turned around to block a punch from Amy Rose, who had charged in behind him. Catching her fist, he wrenched her arm into a painful position, holding her there as Lucy slid to a stop from her own charge. "It's quite simple," he said with irritation. "The three of you are all needed to put up a fight against me. So logically, if I take out one of you, it should make things a little bit easier."

His eyes focused on Lucy. "I suppose you'll make a good start."

Raising one hand quickly, he fired a Chaos Spear at her. The arrow of light hit the girl with deadly accuracy, the sparks of energy shooting out of her back from the impact. Blood splashed out onto the asphalt as she staggered back before falling over.

"One down."

"**You**** bastard! ****I****'****ll**** kill**** you, ****Shadow!**"

Silver screamed out in rage, rocketing towards Shadow through the air. Shadow was forced to stay on his toes as Silver slashed at him quickly and fiercely, cutting through every inch of space between them.

"I'll use your…!"

"?"

"**Chaos**** Control!**"

Silver clutched the blue Chaos Emerald in his hand, bright light shining off of it as he induced his technique. Time and space froze for a moment, and he thrust forward as quickly as he could towards the helpless Shadow. He recovered a moment too late, the blade going through his shoulder as he tried to move out of danger. Silver quickly kicked his opponent to the ground, and wasted no time gathering energy into his hands as he raised them above his head.

"I'll send you to hell! **Finish ****Buster!**"

He threw the golden burst of energy down, slamming it into Shadow as he raised his arms to defend. Levitating his sword in midair, Silver guided it high into the sky above before directing it back down as fast as he could, the wind pressure pushing against it as it raced to skewer the black hedgehog in its sights.

"Disappear…Shadow!"

There was no way that Shadow could stop his blade…it was over.

Or so he thought.

The sword pierced the ground where Shadow lay, and nothing else.

"Your fate is sealed."

Shadow lunged at Silver from behind, too fast for the psychokinetic to react. A flash of cherry pink knocked the black hedgehog off course, only for him to switch targets as he lashed out again. He tore through flesh, blood dripping down from his fingers as he stood in place. Heavy breathing reached his ears as he withdrew his arm, watching her blood spill out slowly.

She grit her teeth and called her hammer to her hands, swinging it upwards and catching the dark hedgehog on the chin, leaving him disoriented as he sailed into the air and came down with a thud.

"Looks like…he…just needed…"

Amy Rose sunk to her knees.

"To…take it on the…chin…ehehe…"

The blood was flowing from her faster and faster. There…wasn't much time. She had reached her limit, and this wound wouldn't heal in time. It was…really the end.

A warm, metallic taste coated her mouth, and she felt it spill out as her body started to give in to its injuries. Painful…this was what death was like, was it? Dark and sad…

"Amy!" Silver scrambled to her side. "Amy…oh, dammit, we need to get you somewhere safe. We need-"

"N-no, Silver…not this t-time."

"Amy, you're hurt badly! Don't argue with me now!"

"It's time, Silver. F-for…that to happen. I-I know that this is…p-painful…"

"Amy?"

Lucy hobbled forwards towards her friend, tears spilling down her face.

"You…why are you…"

"It was…meant to be, Lucy. I…please, don't cry for me…"

"B-but…you're my friend. Amy, you're my friend…you're dying. You can't die. We have to be together."

"Oh…Lucy. T-take my hand…once more?"

Amy gathered her remaining strength and rose to her feet, Silver supporting her before she held hands with Lucy. A smile crossed Amy's face as her own tears came down. "I'll miss you so badly…I-I really loved this time more than anything else. Spending time with you both was wonderful. Lucy…I so badly want to stay…"

She coughed violently, feeling her body shake harder and harder with each moment.

"Amy…"

"Silver." She smiled brightly towards him. "I really b-believe in you. You can make t-this a bright future if you try…be strong."

"I…I will, Amy." He sheathed his sword and handed it over to Lucy. "This is yours now. You'll probably need it more than me."

"Silver…I…" She hugged him tightly. "I'll miss you so much."

"I'll miss you too."

These goodbyes were rushed, but Lucy knew that there was no other choice. Everything…everything was going to change. To gain a better 'future' meant throwing away her own 'past'…leaving everyone and everything she loved behind.

But it was love that drove her to this choice.

Grasping each other's hands tightly, the two hedgehogs focused on the energies around them. The blue Chaos Emerald glowed brightly as Amy drew on its power, simultaneously drawing on her own.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes," the olive hedgehog replied.

Amy began the chant. "The servers are…"

"The seven Chaos."

"Chaos is power."

"Power is enriched by the heart."

"The controller is the one…"

"That unifies the Chaos."

"For the power to make a difference…"

"For the power to change the future…"

"Grant us strength!" they finished in unison.

"This is…!"

"Our…!"

"**Chaos ****Control!**"

Lucy felt her body rise into the air, the tear in space and time starting to pull her in. She clutched Amy's hands tightly, not wanting to let go.

"Amy…!"

"Lucy…"

Her lips twisted into a sad smile. "I…I love you."

"Lucy…I love you too."

With a final, wistful look, Lucy disappeared into the folds of time. Amy felt her strength fading to nothing…but the story wasn't finished yet. No…there was still time to write the ending…

"Silver…"

"Amy."

"One more time…with all that we've got…"

He nodded solemnly, taking her hand in his as Shadow raised his hand to the sky. The energy he was generating tore up entire city blocks in the blink of an eye. Veins bulged on his forehead and in his arms, but his expression was stone-cold.

Silver felt a great warmth run through him, Amy's grip tightening until he couldn't feel her anymore…as if they had become one.

He felt the swirling torrent of energy around his hand, and as Shadow launched his final attack, so did he. Amy had disappeared from his side.

But she hadn't left him for a moment.

"_It's your turn…**Silver!**"_

The wave of green energy swallowed up the remnants of the city, but Silver held his ground. The golden current grew and grew…until…

"_**Super****…****!**** Sonic****…****!**"_

"**Wiiiiiiiiiinnnnnnddddddddd!****"**

The story ended.

They said that there were no winners that day.

And yet, one stood to prove them wrong, a roar echoing across the remains of Crisis City as he clutched the blue Chaos Emerald in his hand.

His name was Silver the Hedgehog.

_Welcome to the future reborn._


	24. Prologue: Again?

a/n: The next chapter. Time to get this thing rolling again. Thanks for all the support, and commentary is appreciated as always.

* * *

On the massive Angel Island, the Ice Cap Zone rattled with the fierce winds that tore across it. It was the height of storm season, even though in the nearest city it was a bright and warm summer.

A lone figure walked through the deep snow, feeling shards of ice hit them as they trudged on. The biting cold sapped their energy with each step, but still they marched, wading deeper and deeper into the snowdrifts.

"_In the…night-light…do you…still feel…your pain…? For the…valour…you waited never…came…_"

The figure came to a stop, shivering uncontrollably as the wind whipped around them.

"_I-If you were…able…would you…go change the…past…"_

The driving snow got itself into cold and wet fur, freezing immediately. Darkness started to overtake lavender eyes, and the brave wanderer fell into the snow as their body started to go numb.

"I…I'm so sorry. Everyone…I couldn't make it…"

It was so cold. All she wanted to do was sleep…

"Amy…Silver…and even you, Shadow…I wanted to do good by you all…"

If she closed her eyes, the pain would go away. Forever.

Just closing her eyes would make it…all so…

* * *

A red blur suddenly raced through the caves of Ice Cap, carrying someone in his arms. It was only by chance that he had seen the mysterious flash of light above the zone, and had gone to investigate. Seeing something moving through the snowstorm that had appeared, he moved closer, only to see quills barely sticking out of the deep snow.

At first, he worried that it was Sonic lying there, but the olive green quills made it clear that it was someone who wasn't from around these parts. Besides, Sonic would have been riding his snowboard if he were around – the zone was one of his favourite places to play.

She felt frozen solid and was barely breathing when he found her. The cold bit into him as he held her close in his arms, but he ignored it and kept moving. Lava Reef was the warmest place on Angel Island, and he knew where a good access point was available quickly.

Knuckles hoped that the girl wouldn't die in his arms before then.

* * *

"Heh, it's a nice day to go out for a run!"

Sonic the Hedgehog, ever-present hero of Earth, stretched his legs in preparation for a good, long run in the country. Station Square was nice, but admittedly not enough to hold his interest. Where could he go?

"Hm. Maybe not anywhere on Earth this time…ah! Ice Cap should be ready for a good shredding this time of year! After that, I can probably jog through some of the Zones," he said with a nod. "Maybe play around in the ol' Flying Battery, hehe. This'll be fun! Just need to grab the Tornado."

Sonic started on his way through Station Square, but stopped as something soft and pink latched onto his waist.

"H-hey! What's this?"

"Sonic!"

"Oh…boy." He sighed and pried the pink hedgehog from his body. Amy Rose was his number one fan and self-proclaimed girlfriend. It was enough that she got catty when he so much as said a passing hello to _any_ female…the clinginess was mostly an unwanted bonus. Then again, was such loyalty a bad thing? He didn't know for sure yet.

"Amy…what is it?"

"Nothin'! Just wanted to see my favourite hero in the whole world, you know?"

Sonic allowed himself a smile at that. She had her cute moments like this, with that bright smile and those sparkling green eyes of hers. Somehow, she was always cheerful and happy around him…he wondered about that. What made him so special?

He rubbed his chin curiously. He could ask her another time, he supposed.

"Thanks, Amy. I've just got somewhere to go-"

"Oh, where to? Another fight with that Eggman?" she asked, jabbing the air with her fists.

"Not right now. I'm gonna get some downtime in, you know? Relax a little."

"Oh…I see. Well," she said with a shrug. "I guess it's running again, isn't it? I could never really keep up with you for those distances. Have fun, Sonic! I'll be waiting~"

"Yeah, I will!" He started halfway down the street before stopping, a thought coming to mind. Amy had started to trudge away, disappointed that the one she loved was running away from her…yet again.

"Hey…"

She felt a warm hand on her shoulder and spun around.

"You, uh…" Sonic gulped, hoping he wouldn't regret his decision. "Wanna come with me? I was planning to fly out to Angel Island, maybe do some boarding."

"R-really? You…you mean it?" she said with disbelief.

"Sure. I mean, it shouldn't hurt, right?" He prepared himself for an ear-splitting scream of joy, but one never came. Instead, the girl was staring down at her feet, trying to hide a furious blush.

"T-thanks. I'd love to come, really…um, maybe I should pack a few things, though. Meet you at Tails' workshop, t-then?"

"Yeah, sure," he said, a bit confused at her behaviour. Scratching his head, he took off for his next destination, leaving Amy with her thoughts.

"He…invited me somewhere. W-wow…why do I feel so nervous? A-and excited? I thought I wanted to scream out, but I never did…oh…"

A smile came to her lips.

"Somehow…I'm falling even harder for you, Sonic…"

It was only another hour before she made it to the fox's workshop, setting her belongings outside before rapping on the front door. Amy could hear a yelp or two and the sounds of metal parts shifting around as she waited. The door finally opened, revealing the workshop's owner. His orange fur stood on end in places, matted with dirt and grease.

"Sorry 'bout that, Amy. Come on in, just watch your step."

"Thanks, Tails. Is Sonic here?"

"Yeah, he just went on a run for some things that I needed. I would go myself, but I'm busy running some tests on this equipment." He guided her past the metal parts that littered the living room floor, finding a sturdy chair for her to sit on. She smiled and took her seat.

"Anything you need, Amy?"

"Some tea would be nice."

"Coming right up. Anything in particular?"

"Mm…you choose, Tails."

"'Kay, then. Just a minute." He headed to the kitchen nearby, washing his gloves free of dirt before preparing his guest's tea. The front door opened again, followed by a low whistle.

"You sure you're gonna go through all those parts, Tails? Never mind how impressive it was that you got all of them, first off."

"Well, raiding those scrap yards paid off big-time. Oh, Amy's here, if you're wondering," Tails said to the blue hedgehog as he came into view.

"I noticed. Heya, Ames. Noticed you packed light for once, eh?" he said with a playful grin.

"We're only staying for a while, right?"

"S'pose so. If we're having too much fun, though, might be best to stay overnight. Ol' Red'll take care of us. Just ignore him if he's grumbling on too much, he really loves the company!"

"You don't pay attention to much he says, anyways," Tails quipped.

"Hey, not true! I _did _remember that it was storm season in Ice Cap. See?"

"So…tell me why you're going snowboarding in Ice Cap again?"

"Because it's storm season in Ice Cap. Duh," he replied with another grin. "Best time to catch some wicked air - and the powder's always super-fresh after a storm, right? Maybe even during!"

"Just be careful, alright? Wouldn't want you buried alive in an avalanche or something. That last time was pretty close, th-"

"Tails," Sonic muttered, "Ix-nay on the…"

The two looked over to Amy, whose eyes were wide with surprise. "Sonic! You never told me that you almost got killed like that! How could you do something so foolish?"

The blue hedgehog sighed as Amy rambled on, and patted his brother on the shoulder. "That's why I didn't want her to find out…"

"Whoops. Sorry," Tails said sheepishly. "Uh…you two have fun."

"Yeah, I'll try. I'm taking the Tornado, any objections?"

"Nope. She's working fine. Later, bro."

Amy huffed as she followed Sonic outside. "You," she said to the fox, "I'll deal with later."

"Alright. See you when you get back?"

"Count on it, mister."

Tails shook his head, whistling as he shut the door and went back to work. Amy hadn't even sipped her tea, he noticed.

"She really does get worked up about him, doesn't she? Is it love or something else? Hm."

* * *

"I've completed the objective. Returning to base."

Shadow the Hedgehog waded through the deep jungle, pools of water splashing up at his every step. An armband with a military badge was strapped to his right arm, signifying his rank in the organization and identifying him to anyone who might cross his path. He shut off the communicator hidden beneath the cuff of his glove as he walked on towards his rendezvous point.

A soft rustling of leaves caught his attention, and he quickly spun around, calling a rifle to his hand with Chaos Control and aiming it at the threat. He stared back at the gun barrel in his face without fear.

"Shadow…"

He lowered his weapon and warped it away again, turning and walking on once more. Hurried footsteps followed.

"Is Omega still in the area?" he asked.

"Yeah, he is. Sorry about that, Shadow…"

He waved a hand at his partner. "Don't worry about it. Honest mistake."

"No…that wasn't an honest mistake."

Shadow stopped and turned to his partner, Rouge the Bat. She stared nervously at the muddy earth below, the gun still clutched in her hands.

"What are you talking about? Is something the matter?"

"I…I'm…"

Suddenly, she was crying. Her arm snapped straight, and there was a loud boom as the gun fired. Shadow felt something warm leaking from his chest as his strength left him.

"Shadow, I'm sorry…this is goodbye…"

"Rouge…you…"

She stood over him, the tears falling down. With a miserable smile, she pulled the trigger one more time.

It was then that Shadow woke up.

His body jumped slightly as he looked at his surroundings. The interior of a helicopter, G.U.N issue.

_Just a bad dream._

"…"

"Shadow…you okay?" Sleepy blue eyes stared up at him, and he nodded in response.

"I'm fine. Go back to sleep, we have a meeting with the Commander when we get to base. You know how you are when you're tired."

"Hm…" Rouge suspected her partner was lying, but she went back to sleep anyways, only doing so while using his shoulder as a pillow. Shadow grunted, but wasn't so cruel as to shove her off. She knew that well enough.

What bothered the hedgehog was that this dream hadn't occurred just once…it had to mean something, then. Betrayal? He doubted it. Rouge had her own agenda when it was all said and done, but for some reason she didn't bother to try and manipulate him in the same way she did others. Was it that she cared for him?

A possibility, perhaps.

Shadow sighed and looked over at the robot nearby, E-123 Omega. He was also 'sleeping' until they got to base, which was still in a few hours. The recent mission had put a strain on everyone, much to his surprise. It was supposed to be a simple one.

Supposed to be.

Shadow closed his eyes and meditated. It was best to keep himself occupied until they got home.

* * *

"That's strange. Knuckles is usually right here whenever me an' Tails show up on the island. Where could he be?"

"Maybe he went out to look for something?"

"Maybe."

Sonic and Amy had arrived on Angel Island, looking around the area where the Master Emerald sat. Knuckles usually wasn't one to move from his appointed position unless there was major trouble afoot.

"You think Eggman's here?" Amy asked.

"Nah. He makes a lot of noise, so we couldn't have missed him. Come on, we'll just head up to Ice Cap. If he needs to see us, he'll find us."

"Even in all that snow?"

Sonic snorted. "C'mon, Ames. You've gotta give Red more credit than that – he's a treasure hunter and tracker in his spare time. Well, the little that he has, anyways."

"See, I didn't really know that."

"The more you know~" Sonic chimed. He spied a recently beaten path, moving away from the shrine and into the distance. "Hey, check this out. Knux must've saw something in one of the Zones, 'cause he left in a hurry."

"Where to?"

"Must've been the mountains."

"Hm." Amy moved towards the Master Emerald, admiring its beauty. "It's really pretty, you know? If any collectors knew about this, Knuckles would be beating them off like flies."

"Amy? Wait a moment." Sonic picked up a stone and tossed it towards the Master Emerald. It hit an invisible field of energy and disintegrated immediately, causing the pink hedgehog to fall backwards in shock.

"W-wh…what was that? Sonic…!"

"Heavy duty security. Had a hunch…" The blue hedgehog scratched his chin.

"Why would he _do_ that?" she whimpered.

"Echidnas are very protective, I guess." He helped Amy up, dusting off her dress as he did. "I think we should get back to the Tornado and do a fly-over. Maybe we'll find him."

"G-good idea. I usually like surprises, but this is…"

"Well, what can I say? Knuckles is the gift that keeps on giving!"

Amy groaned as they made their way to the bi-plane, taking off shortly afterwards. Sonic flew them over Carnival Night and through the rough winds that trailed from Ice Cap. Amy pointed out the splitting snowdrifts below, which Sonic followed carefully while keeping the aircraft steady.

"What's all that machinery down there? Looks like Eggman's work."

"That's the Launch Base," Sonic answered. "And it _was_ his handiwork, when he was trying to re-launch the Death Egg. I managed to stop him that time, at least."

"Hm? But I thought you said that you chased it up from the Sky Sanctuary you were talking about," Amy said, confused.

"Well, Egghead re-launched it after…wait. After it got stuck in a volcano." Sonic snapped his fingers. "He brought that sucker back to life, so it's definitely the warmest place on the island! Lava Reef!"

"That doesn't sound too pleasant."

"Well, you have to watch your step…but it's not so bad otherwise. At least it's warm." Sonic tilted the plane towards the island's volcano. "Knuckles probably went inside to warm up."

"Or maybe to warm someone else up," Amy suggested.

"You could be right. Let's find out, shall we?"


	25. The Preamble, Part 1

a/n: This chapter was almost longer, but I decided against it. Gonna pick up from it pretty soon, hopefully. Thanks for all the support, and enjoy.

* * *

"Man, it's been years since I ran through this place..."

Sonic and Amy came to a stop inside the Lava Reef, sweat dripping off of their quills. The blue hedgehog wiped his brow and sighed as he looked at the road ahead.

"...Yeah. Been a while. There was a good reason for that."

"You think so?" Amy quipped, her hands on her knees. "Gee, I thought everyone liked boiling alive!"

Rolling his eyes, Sonic walked ahead as Amy followed. The lava flows were running beneath them, molten rock cresting and breaking into waves that lapped against the walls. It would have seemed beautiful if not for the fact that falling in meant your doom, more or less. Sonic had managed to skip briefly across the lava when he was younger…of course, this was whenever he was in trouble. Those days were pretty reckless, in hindsight.

Then again, recklessness had been the least of his worries at that point in time.

The two leaped over gaps and flew off of well-placed ramps, using their speed to their advantage. They spied a certain red echidna sitting on a rock, looking far more composed than they were at the moment.

"Yo, Red."

Knuckles opened his eyes and looked over the two visitors. "Heat too much for you?"

"Ah, nothing we can't handle," Sonic smartly replied. "What's going on? You're not usually around here other than for training, right?"

He nodded. "I found someone in the peaks. She was in really bad shape, and even now, I don't know if she'll make it."

"She?"

"It must have had something to do with Chaos Control, because her energies were completely drained. I thought of taking her to the Master Emerald, but she could have frozen before then…"

"Why would you think it was Chaos Control, Knuckles?"

"There was a huge burst of light and Chaos energy above the mountains before I found her. Not only that, but…well. You can see for yourself." He nodded towards the entrance to a cave. "Just don't try to move her right now or anything."

"Yeah, got it. You coming, Ames?"

She nodded and followed him to the cave interior, which was noticeably hotter than anywhere else they had passed through. A hedgehog girl lay still on a slab of rock, surrounded by a moat of molten lava. It seemed to be freshly made, too.

"Knuckles must've set this up, to keep her warm. Sheesh…she doesn't look too good, does she?"

"She doesn't…"

"Wish that we could do more."

"Me too."

Amy slowly moved towards the girl as she lay still, reaching out to touch her hand. "Hopefully, she'll pull through this. She seems strong enough. Kind of reminds me of you for some reason…"

"Me, huh?" Sonic scratched his head. "Well, she's certainly got a look about her. And a nice pair of kicks, if I don't say so myself."

"Hm." Amy looked over the strange girl, noting the roughness of her attire. Everything from her jeans, to her tanktop, to the blue vest she wore, they all had some sort of heavy wear on them. Even those shoes, which looked identical to Sonic's own, had plenty of marks on them.

How much had she gone through, exactly?

More importantly, Amy wondered why she felt this strange connection to the sleeping girl. It was as if they knew each other, in a different time and place.

The girl stirred from her sleep, eyes opening slowly. She weakly rolled her head to one side, staring at the pink hedgehog grasping her hand tightly. Everything was still a blur to her, and it was sort of hot for some reason. Why was that? The last the she remembered was the snow all around her…

"I think she's waking up," Sonic said, noticing her movement. "Hey, Knuckles!"

"Yeah?"

"I think your girl's coming to!"

"Oh? Okay, then." Knuckles got up and walked into the entrance of the cave, looking over at the strange visitor as she grasped Amy's hand tightly.

"Why is she…?"

"No clue," Sonic said quietly. "Maybe there's something she's sensing from her?"

"Could be possible."

"…"

Amy's ears perked up as she heard a soft whisper.

"…"

_Is she…saying something?_

"…y…"

"What is…?"

"A…"

"Please, just a bit louder…"

"…glad you're here…Amy…"

The pink hedgehog felt her heart skip a beat. "How…how do you…"

"…I'm sorry…I couldn't…change anything…"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm…sorry…"

"No, you don't have to apologize…! It's okay, I'm here!" She moved to step across the lava moat, but was stopped by Sonic as he touched her shoulder. Before she could protest, he pointed her to Knuckles, who carried a slab of rock over, making a bridge over the lava.

Sonic smiled and took her hand, guiding her up onto the small bridge. As Amy reached the other side, she took the shivering girl into her arms, hands entwined with her own.

"This feels like a dream…though I know I left you that time…"

"Well…I'll be right here, as long as you need me. I promise," Amy said with determination. "I won't let you down."

"I know you always…keep your promises," she replied drowsily. She soon fell asleep in Amy's arms, and by that time Sonic and Knuckles were already outside.

"How do you think they know each other?" Knuckles asked. "Could it be a meeting from a long time ago?"

"Maybe. But Amy's not one to forget her friends, and she didn't really have any before we met. Not to sound too blunt or anything."

"So…what do you think it could be?"

"Picking my brain, eh?" Sonic quipped.

"I have my own theories. But I'd like to hear yours first."

Sonic nodded, a seriousness overtaking his features. "You mentioned Chaos Control, and I believe that's exactly what happened. That girl must have come from another time or place…possibly even both. My guess? She came from a possible future."

"What brought you to that conclusion?" Knuckles asked, curious.

"The way she was speaking about Amy…and how Amy reacted. There was no way that Amy knew her, but I think it's very much possible that she met Amy at a different point in time. It's not exactly out there, Red."

The echidna nodded. "You have a point. Time travel's not out of the realm of possibility, considering what the Chaos Emeralds can do."

"Right."

"Hey, maybe she's your...you know."

Sonic blinked. "My what, Knuckles?"

"You know what I'm getting at. You and Amy might...well."

Sonic nodded and exhaled deeply, much to Knuckles' surprise. "I'll admit that the thought crossed my mind."

"A little out there, no? Green?"

"She's in her teens. Could be dyed."

"Makes sense. But..." Knuckles scratched his head. "You seriously gave that some thought?"

"...She's a nice girl, Knuckles. I know that she means well, even when she's not on target, you know? I've honestly thought about it...returning her feelings for me."

"And?"

Knuckles only got a sad smile in response. "If that's our daughter, she's certainly not from this timeline."

"Your mind's made up, huh..."

"Yeah. I'm surprised...I thought I would feel better after making up my mind. I've just started feeling worse each time I think about it. It was...supposed to be an easy thing, you know?" He sighed. "Now I realize how much I care about her. I can't stand the thought of making her cry, even though...we won't be like _that_. You get what I'm saying?"

"Sort of," Knuckles admitted. He wasn't exactly an expert on relationships himself.

"It's complicated, anyways. I don't think I get it all myself, hehe."

Amy wiped her forehead of sweat as she emerged from the cave. "She's fast asleep again, but she's warm this time. Really warm, actually. We both worked up a good sweat in there," she said with a laugh. "You really saved her, Knuckles. Thanks."

"No worries...I just did the right thing, after all."

"You saved someone's life! It's totally a big deal." She pecked him on the cheek. "Be your prideful self this time, eh?"

"Oi..."

"Sonic, are you okay?"

He shrugged. "I'm fine, just doing some thinking."

"You look down, though. Remember, when you smile, you make me smile, too! So cheer up!"

"Sheesh, Amy...you gotta say those sorts of things out loud all the time?"

"Yup," she said with a grin. "I'll tell the whole world if I have to!"

Sonic shook his head as she skipped away. "Come on, let's get out of here! I'm gonna faint if we're stuck here any longer!" she called over her shoulder.

"Yeah, catch up with you in a bit!"

"It's a better solution than leading her on," Knuckles commented. The echidna left to carry the sleeping hedgehog out of Lava Reef.

"Well...let's hope she sees it that way," Sonic said to himself as he followed.

* * *

"Shadow, Rouge, Omega. Good work out there on that last mission."

The three members of the unofficial Team Dark had gathered in one of G.U.N's military offices. The Supreme Commander, known to a few as Abraham Tower, glossed over paperwork as he debriefed the squad.

"Execution and competence. That was all we required, sir," Shadow replied.

"Concise as always, Shadow."

"We managed to complete both the primary and secondary missions with no delay," Rouge said. "In addition, we have extracted the information from several of the servers on site and terminated them as requested."

"Capacity of enemy operations has been reduced to thirty percent. Rapid communications: offline. SAM sites: offline. Nuclear silos: offline. Reduction of transmissions to twenty-five percent. End of relevant data listing. Further information may be procured from the mission data."

"Good to know, Omega," the Commander said.

"Permission to speak, sir."

"Permission granted, Agent Rouge."

"I am _soooooooo_ tired right now, seriously! Can we get a week off, at the least?"

Shadow grunted at that, mostly in disapproval towards the bat's lack of tact. Tower only chuckled a bit at the display.

"You three won't be needed for a month at the least. This mission was important in opening up our foreign agenda, and you exceeded my expectations by miles. You deserve all the rest you can get. With pay, of course."

"Oooh, I _like_ the sound of that!"

"Figures," Shadow remarked.

"Oh, knock it off. You're more tired than I am. Besides, a vacation would really do you good, Shadow."

"Hmph."

"You three are dismissed. I'll correspond with you on any other important matters, but until then, rest up. Agent Rouge, I'd like to talk with you before you leave."

"Yes, sir." She waved to Shadow and Omega as they left. "Have fun, boys."

Shadow let out another 'hmph' while Omega nodded slowly, the door slamming shut behind them.

"Agent, with the rotations as they are, I'm estimating that it'll be a minimum of at least two months before I need you back in the field. As a G.U.N Agent, I mean."

"I see, sir."

Tower poured himself a glass of water and sipped it before continuing. "There's a rumour going around, something about splinters of Project Shadow being used in experiments. One of the people on the original project fifty years ago was a Nick Pearson. Used to work with Professor Gerald Robotnik until things got...hairy. You know the story. Anyways...things have been flying around about some new 'experiments' that are similar to Shadow. Most of the things we encounter like this are just white noise, but I want to be sure beyond a doubt this time. Doc Pearson is considered a holy man next to Gerald in the field of Chaos Energy study – nothing about his work should be taken lightly."

"When should I start, sir?"

"Whenever you feel ready. There's no rush at the moment - again, these are just things from the rumour mill. Not much to go on otherwise."

"How am I going in, sir?"

Tower managed to suppress the grimace that would have crossed his face. "This mission's black, Agent."

"Ah?"

The Commander knew his personnel down to the way they stepped into their uniforms each morning. If he could have sent _anyone_ else on this mission, he would have done so.

The bat didn't even attempt to hide the look that crept into her eyes…the one that showed up whenever she was let off of her leash within the ranks.

He didn't like that look at all.

"The only ones that are to know about it are you and I. Use…whatever means to get the information that you need, Agent."

"Sir, yes, sir."

"Dismissed."

Rouge saluted the Commander before leaving. As the door closed, she licked her lips in anticipation, while on the other side, he reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a bottle of bourbon, pouring himself a glass.

It was going to be a long few months ahead.

"I'll probably live to regret this," he said as he downed the drink. "But God help us if those rumours are true. For everyone's sake, I hope she doesn't find a damn thing."


	26. The Preamble, Part 2

a/n: Next one up. Thanks for reading, all.

* * *

Sonic shook off the snow remaining in his quills as he came to a stop near the Master Emerald's shrine. Lifting his wet goggles and sticking his board into the soft earth, he scanned the area for any signs of life.

"You're back already."

He smiled and winked at the girl slowly approaching him. "Yup. You know where Amy and Knuckles went?"

"Knuckles should be back in about a minute or so. He was getting something for me to eat. Amy, I'm not sure. She said that she wanted to explore the far end of the island, though."

"Good for her," Sonic said with a nod. "You doing okay, Lucy?"

"I'm alright. Thank you for asking, Sonic."

"No worries! As long as you don't tucker yourself out too quickly. Need some help to the Master Emerald again?"

"That would be appreciated, thank you."

Lucy allowed herself a smile as Sonic took her hand, leading her up the steps to the Master Emerald. She laid back against it, absorbing its energies little by little and basking in its warmth.

"Well, you look a lot better than before…not that you looked half-bad in the first place, heh."

"Did anyone ever tell you that flattery gets you nowhere?" she said with a smile.

"Sure. Right after I got a free chilli dog the other day."

Lucy shook her head. "You're something else, you know? But…it's great to actually meet you. You were pretty much a legend in my time."

"Legend, huh. Well…I _am_ pretty awesome, but I don't think of myself quite that highly."

"I should tell you about it…when I'm able to, I guess."

Sonic nodded in understanding. It had only been three days since Lucy woke up, and she was reluctant to say too much about the future that she came from. At least she had confirmed that much, and that she knew Amy from that time as well.

According to the story, Lucy had come back in time to change a ruined future. It all sounded familiar to Sonic for some strange reason…he just couldn't put a finger on why it was so. Oh, well.

"My strength's not fully recovered yet. That Chaos Control took a lot out of me…even though it was Amy who did all the work."

"Amy, huh? How is she in that time? Am I…I mean, are we…"

"I…can't really say anything about that. Not for now. Sorry," she said.

"Ah, okay." _Would be nice to know if I end up changing my mind or something…though I doubt it._

"There's something else that I think you should know about."

"Really? What is it?"

"At one point in the timeline, several new enemies will appear. In my time, Shadow took care of them before they could awaken, but…it probably won't be so easy this time."

Sonic scratched his head. "What kind of threat could it be?"

"It has something to do with Shadow's creation…or an event close to that time. I'm sorry, I can't remember exactly what it is."

"It's okay, Lucy. We'll be able to deal with it once we get there," Sonic said with a thumbs-up. "But for now, you just need to rest and regain your strength."

"Thanks. Sonic, I really want to tell you about my future…but I can't right now. You can ask me some indirect questions, though."

"Maybe I'll do that later. Thanks."

Knuckles arrived just then, carrying an armload of fruit. "Hey, you two."

"Hey, Red."

"It looks like the Master Emerald is working on you just fine. When I found you in the mountains, it was more than just exhaustion setting in. Your life force was also dangerously low," he said to the olive hedgehog as he put down the fruit.

"Chaos Control," Lucy replied with a nod. "It was really my first time doing it, actually."

"Hey, that's pretty neat. Good thing you didn't have to use a fake, though."

"A fake?" Lucy looked up at the blue hedgehog, puzzled.

"Yeah. I'll tell you about it later, though. Just gonna head out for another run."

"I'll see you later, then."

"You bet!" Sonic took off again, leaving Knuckles and Lucy alone.

"Now that he's not busy talking you up, you should probably focus on getting some rest. I'll be meditating nearby, but don't hesitate to call me for anything, okay?"

"Yes. Thank you, Knuckles."

The echidna nodded and made his way to the other side of the massive altar, sitting cross-legged in silence.

Amy's footsteps sounded as she climbed upwards to where Lucy was, and she gave the olive hedgehog a smile as she arrived. "Hey. Feeling better?"

"Yes, thanks to you all. I'm really grateful."

"You almost didn't make it…"

"I know. I'm sorry for worrying you, Amy."

"You're awfully apologetic, especially to me. Why is that? And…how did you know my name so quickly, even while you were delirious?"

Amy placed a hand over her heart. "There's also…this feeling. Like I know you so well…but it doesn't make any sense! I know that you can't-"

"I can."

"Huh?"

Lucy stared into Amy's eyes. "I can explain everything you've asked, and more. All of it."

"All of it," Amy repeated in disbelief. She shook her head, moving to sit on her knees in front of Lucy. A determined look was in her green eyes as she stared at the girl in front of her. "Please, tell me. I want to know as much as I can."

"Yes…but only the three of us can know for now."

Amy blinked for a moment, but nodded as soon as she realized what Lucy meant. Knuckles relocated himself so that he was closer to the Master Emerald, his back against it as Lucy spoke. The conversation wouldn't be able to escape him like this.

Taking a deep breath, Lucy began.

"Three years from now, an alien race will arrive on Earth…"

* * *

"You guys should really see about getting an elevator for this place!"

The voice of Mighty the Armadillo sounded through the staircase leading up to the office of the Chaotix Detective Agency. A door suddenly opened, and out flew a bee with a flight helmet and a bright orange vest.

"Hey! It's Mighty!"

"Yo. Been a while, huh? I wanted to see how you guys were doing, and then I saw this young lady downstairs. She doesn't look too hot."

"I assure you, I'm fine. But thank you for your kindness, Mister Mighty."

"Hey, just call me Mighty. Besides, you said you wanted to see these guys, right?"

The young woman cradled in Mighty's arms nodded, fading red hair resting on her shoulders. As he reached the top of the stairs, Mighty let her down so that she could walk on her own into the detectives' office.

"Out travelling again?"

"You know it, Charmy. I'm never one to stay in one place for long."

"Reminds you of a certain someone, doesn't it?"

Mighty smiled as he found Espio leaning against the nearby wall of the office. The two shook hands.

"I assume you mean Sonic, eh? Well, me and him have some history."

"You've told me as much. Is Ray not with you?"

Mighty waved a hand at the question. "Nah. He's jumping off of peaks somewhere. Flying squirrel thing, he says."

"Ah."

"Anyways, those stairs are brutal. You thought about an elevator or something? At least one of those moving chair things."

"You're referring to the client, of course."

"The who now?"

"That young woman," he said while nodding towards the visitor, "is our latest client. Vector is-"

"Hey, Charmy! I told you to get her the _good_ chair! Heh, sorry 'bout that, Miss Pearson."

"Really, it's nothing. You needn't go to such trouble for me," she said with a smile. Her hands went to work smoothing out the plain red skirt and white blouse she wore.

"That's crazy talk! You're one of our clients, and this is how we treat all our clients here at the Agency! Ain't that right, Charmy?" Vector plopped into the swivelling chair behind his old and messy desk.

"Well, there was that guy you tossed-"

"I _said_, ain't that _right_, Charmy?"

The bee caught the death glare coming from his crocodile friend, and straightened up. "Yup! We only treat our customers with dignity and respect!"

Vector nodded in satisfaction.

"Provided they pay up, of course!" Charmy finished.

"You…!"

Ellen Pearson giggled softly, waving off the comment. "It's alright, Mister Vector. I understand your stance on clients. I hear you take a lot of cases _pro bono_?"

"Well, more or less." _Mostly 'cause the scumbags can't pony up the cash in the end, anyways._

"I admire that. Which is why I'm going to pay you up front, as a show of my good will."

Vector eyed the frail young woman, remembering how the last 'loaded' client had given the detectives a measly offering. This girl's parents were super-famous investors, celebrities even.

"Does five percent of the gross before taxes sound fair?"

"Sure, we're not too fussy," Vector admitted. He wasn't expecting much after hearing that.

"So…what's all the hubbub about this client again?" Mighty asked Espio. The chameleon only gave a nod towards Vector's desk.

"Excellent. Five hundred thousand it is."

The coffee cup that Vector was holding slid out of his hand, and Charmy swooped in to catch it.

"That was close! Vec, you okay? Vector? Boss?"

An amused smirk crossed Espio's face. "That would be the source of the commotion, Mighty." The armadillo watched as Vector's jaws flapped up and down, not making a sound even as he willed them to.

"H-h-h-h…aaaalfff. A m-m-million dolllllllars."

Ellen smiled, a sparkle coming to her sky blue eyes. "Half a million dollars. I can have it wired, or I can simply write a cheque. It won't bounce any time soon, don't you worry," she said with a playful wink. "I just need you to confirm a rumour."

"That amount of money for a rumour?" Espio asked.

"Yes. Money is no object, especially when it comes to this matter. My grandfather…he mentioned something in one of his diaries, and I must know what it was. I will give you the details, if you're willing to accept-"

"You don't need to ask twice! The Chaotix Detective Agency is on the case!"

Espio shook his head. "In that case, call your friend Rouge. Make sure that she doesn't cross my path."

"What? Why?" Vector groaned.

"You know the answer to that full well. Miss Pearson…when do we begin?"

"As soon as you can, Mister Espio."

"Fine. Vector, I'm on duty." The chamelon promptly vanished. "I'll contact you once I find anything."

Ellen looked around, confused. "How does he know where to start looking?"

"We've both figured it out, Miss Pearson." Vector's tone was all business. "And it has something to do with Project Shadow, which the government shut down. Your grandfather's Nick Pearson, right?"

Ellen nodded. "Yes. I…it was a simple curiosity at first, but as I learned more and more…I'm not sure what I'll do if I find this supposed secret, though."

"Doesn't matter…as long as it doesn't fall into the wrong hands. And with us on the case, you can be sure that won't happen."

"But how do you know that this is even real?"

"Miss, if you've seen the things that go on when Chaos Emeralds are around, you'll give _anything_ a fair chance. Those shiny rocks make a mockery of reality every time they're placed into somebody or something's hands…or claws, or tentacles, whatever. Point is, if your gramps was working at the same time as Gerald Robotnik, and was doing about the same things with Chaos energy…well, it's safe to say that _something _happened. Something that he wanted to keep secret forever."

"And what…" Ellen felt her hands shake. "What if…we find a monster?"

"Only one thing we can do," Mighty said with seriousness. "Pray that it doesn't wake up."


	27. More Than You Knew, Part 1

a/n: I thought about making certain events in this chapter happen later on, but changed my mind. So this chapter is one where a few things change. Thanks for the support, and I hope you enjoy it all.

* * *

On Angel Island, Lucy finished her stories of the future that she came from. The news was sobering to both Knuckles and Amy, as they learned the fates of their friends and family, and of the planet itself.

It would become a sort of wasteland, blooming with plants and flowers yet mostly void of life as organized life was obliterated by Shadow. After sleeping for over two hundred years, Amy returned to the planet Earth from the Space Colony ARK, landing on Angel Island. She discovered one survivor on the isle. He was The Guardian, someone who had an immortal version of Knuckles' body and guarded the Master Emerald for all time in his place.

In the time before Amy's slumber, an invading alien force, known as the Holy Galactic Empire of Gloriole, overran the Earth. Their leader met his demise by Shadow's hand…but not before a series of terrible events took place. Amy felt unsure of her feelings, since Lucy's recanting of her future self's stories revealed that she had confessed her love to Sonic, and he had accepted it. However, in the space of time that they were on Eggman's flying fortress, Amy had murdered the doctor in cold blood, and she watched Sonic dying before she was whisked off to the space colony. He had perished in the massive attack from Shadow that began the end of the war.

Omega had killed Rouge in error, after she threw herself in the path of an attack meant for Shadow. The black hedgehog lost his mind completely after that. Tails had lost his life after a laser strike erased the plane he was in from existence.

The Chaotix moved to stop Shadow in the years following the war, and they were cut down one by one. Knuckles gave up his existence to protect the Master Emerald.

As Lucy spoke, Amy could see the flashes of joy in her lavender eyes as she recalled those close to her. There was a comment or two about how she felt 'changed' somehow…as if she were someone else, and not the 'real' Lucy after coming back through time. Amy assured her that it would take some time to get used to the feeling of being in a strange and distant place, which the present time was for her in every possible way.

"This era doesn't seem to be anything like my own…the events seem so far removed. As if none of it could ever happen. Still, that could change. I hope you take this information to heart, and…you can't tell Sonic about this."

"Why not?" Amy asked.

"Sonic…seems to be the key to this whole saga. And if he retraces his steps like he did in the original timeline, we may lose everything again. I'm sure that he'll find out about this eventually, but not now…not until we can make sure that we can make a difference."

Amy nodded, letting out a sigh. "This…all seems so heavy, you know?"

"It was a lot to take in for me, as well. But it's surely harder for you, Amy. You loved him so much…it was painful to see the look in your eyes, when you talked about him."

"Sonic…"

"Maybe that's one of the things that you could change?"

"You mean me and Sonic?"

"Yes. It's worth a shot, no?"

The pink hedgehog nodded in agreement. "It is. I think I'll tell him later on tonight."

"Lucy…did you have any relations that you knew of?"

Knuckles' question caught her off-guard for a moment. "Other than Silver…no. And Amy, once I met her. Although…I believe I know what you're suggesting, Knuckles."

"Oh?" Amy leaned closer, curious.

"He's wondering if I'm your love child."

"_What_?" Lucy rubbed her ears after the scream that came her way.

"That's to say," Lucy continued with a straight face, "the theory is that you and Sonic-"

"I get it! But…there's no way, is there?"

"From what the future you told me, no."

"Still…Knuckles, what kind of question was that?"

The echidna snorted. "As if you weren't thinking it yourself…well, you're probably thinking of such things all the time, I guess."

"Hey! That's not fair!" She pushed her fingers together, blushing madly. "Besides in my dreams, it's not _that_ often…"

"Everyone okay? I heard a scream!" Sonic called out to the three as he neared the Emerald Shrine.

"We're fine. I was just talking to Amy," Lucy explained. "About how life can be…surprising, in many ways."

"Something like that," Amy said with a sheepish grin.

"Oh, that's okay then. I'm about ready to head back to life on the surface. S'been fun, Knux."

"Yeah, you're welcome. Maybe I'll invite you up myself once you stop being such a motor mouth."

"Good luck with that, buddy," Sonic shot back.

"My thoughts exactly." The two hit the backs of their hands together and ended it with a thumbs-up each, their way of greeting (since Knuckles' sharp spikes got in the way).

"Hey, if you two want to stay, you're more than welcome," Sonic said to the two ladies sitting. "I'd come around whenever you wanted to head home."

"Actually, I think I'm ready to go as well," Amy said. "Lucy?"

"Might as well get going. We've made arrangements, haven't we?"

"We have. It'll be fun, just us girls!"

"Bet'cha can't wait, huh?"

"Hey, wait…how are we going to fit the three of us into the Tornado?"

"Won't have to."

Amy looked at Sonic, puzzled until he reached behind his back and produced a Chaos Emerald. He tossed it up and down with a smile. "How's this for rapid transit, eh? Just a Chaos Control or two over, and we're good. Probably shouldn't do it in a crowded place, though…ah, I know the spot. When everyone's ready, we'll head out!"

"It was nice seeing you again, Knuckles." Amy gave the guardian a tight hug, which made him flinch a bit…now he knew how Sonic felt when he was glomped.

_Sheesh, she' s strong! Remind me not to get on her bad side too often…_

"Yeah…no worries."

Lucy smiled and shook his hand. "Goodbye, Knuckles. Thank you…for everything. Please take care of yourself." Noting the sincerity in her eyes, Knuckles nodded firmly as she let go. She turned and gave him another smile before walking down the shrine steps, quills floating in the breeze that blew by.

"I'll be sure to, Lucy." He remembered her story about how he became The Guardian, watching over the Master Emerald for all eternity. Would he be ready to make such a sacrifice if it came to that again?

Staring into the brilliant facets of the gem in front of him, Knuckles knew the answer.

"That sounds like something I'd do. If it's like that…then I won't question it."

However, he believed in Sonic's ability to make things right. If it all went well enough…he could live the rest of his days on Earth in peace, not having to worry about the Master Emerald ever again.

Hopefully, that day would come soon rather than later…but for now, it was a living.

* * *

"Here we are, ladies!"

Sonic released his hand from the Tornado, and the two girls let go of his arm as they appeared in the middle of a vast, hilly field outside of Station Square.

"I remember this place," Amy said dreamily. "We've been running around so much lately that we haven't really gotten the chance to relax much." She turned to Sonic with a smile. "Thank you so much…I really enjoyed those days on the island."

"No problem. Just let me know when, and we'll go on another trip like this."

"It's a bit of a walk, I assume?" Lucy took one of Amy's small bags from the inside of the plane. "I don't mind if it is, this place is wonderful." The sun had already sunk below the horizon, and the stars were coming out to play in the dark skies.

"We can watch the stars from my place," Amy said. "It's better with a warm cup of cocoa and some marshmallows. Well, I think so."

"Sounds like a plan."

"Guess I'll see you ladies later, then. I'll try not to be a stranger," Sonic joked.

"Yeah…" A flurry of thoughts ran through Amy's head as he turned to leave. Lucy's stories had made everything so…different, somehow. She couldn't quite describe it. So many emotions that she felt she couldn't hold on to any longer.

"Sonic! Wait!"

He had gotten midway into prepping the flight controls when Amy stopped him. "Hey, what's up? Something wrong, Ames?"

"I…need to talk to you. Please."

"Okay," he said without hesitation.

"I'll be on that hill over there," Lucy called out. "Take as long as you need."

"Y-yeah. Sorry."

"It's okay! Don't worry about it, Amy."

As she left, Amy walked closer to Sonic, who hopped out of the plane's pilot seat and landed in front of the girl.

"So, what's this about? Everything okay?"

"Not really, Sonic. I…have something to tell you." She took a deep breath. "I know you've heard this a million times before, but I really, _really_ like you. I love you more than anyone in the entire world, Sonic."

"Yeah, you have told me that a lot. And I believe you."

"You do?"

"'Course!"

"In that case, then," she started, her eyes brightening, "would you be able to return my feelings? I've thought about it so deeply, us being together and all of that. Like this is the right time to start. We could be together wherever and whenever we wanted. Even if you wanted to keep running, I'd be here for you, if not right beside you the entire way. Sonic, ever since I met you all those years ago, and you saved my life that time, I've…really grown fond of you. Not only because of how brave and strong you are, but because of your heart." She smiled, warmth coming from her.

"You're just so amazing and beautiful to me in every way, and every time that I see you, it's like watching the stars light up in front of me. I can't stop thinking about you, dreaming about you, talking about you. You're so much a part of me that I can't imagine life without you in it."

There was a faint light coming from the city nearby, enough to make the pink-haired girl glow in the darkness. A radiance spread from her face and across every part of her being, and for a moment, it made Sonic want to change himself. Just so she could stay happy and angelic like this forever.

"I love you."

The sound of her voice, of those words…he felt his heart starting to melt, and then felt himself getting sick to his stomach because of the words he had loaded up in his mind. Like gunpowder, ready to go off and send a bullet through her heart with no mercy.

"Amy…I…"

"I'll wait for you, if that's what you want. All I want…is to know that I'm yours. I want to know that we'll be together, as one…it seems like such a huge ambition for a girl like me, doesn't it? But I don't care. You're all that matters to me. All that will ever matter. These words are just spilling out, and I don't think I'm quite myself…but it all feels so good, so right."

He felt his hands clenching as they shook at his sides.

"Like it was meant to be, all of it. Right here…I feel like I can pour out my feelings to you, Sonic. You're everything to me, so…won't you…?"

He tried to say that one word, the one word that would make it all right and would bring the fairytale ending to life, but it never came. It never would come, no matter how much he willed it.

He couldn't feel what she felt.

It _wasn't there_.

"Amy, I…I know how you feel towards me. And I just want to tell you something."

"Yes…?" She looked at him, lovingly, expectantly. The moment was perfect, and everything was falling into place, flowing into its proper destination.

"I love you, Amy Rose."

Her eyes started to sparkle with joy, but she kept herself composed, the unimaginable emotions twirling about inside of her heart. He had said them! He said those words!

"And I…I'll really, truly love you forever…"

Her breath was caught in her throat, and she grabbed onto one of his hands tightly, even as he struggled to get the words out, a pained expression coming onto his face. The euphoria started to die down inside of the pink hedgehog as she stared into his eyes, wondering.

"…but only…as a friend."

He bowed his head, feeling every ounce of energy drain from his body as he saw her expression. Eyes that trembled with excitement now trembled with a muted horror, and the warmth that was all over her earlier turned into a dreadful chill. Her hands let go of his, and slowly, she stepped backwards. Once, twice.

Finding that she couldn't speak, she turned her body and walked away, slowly.

He only stood in place, unable to feel a thing as the night suddenly became colder and darker than before.


	28. More Than You Knew, Part 2

a/n: I hope you guys like poorly written melodrama…! Either way, enjoy, and thanks for all the support. I appreciate it.

* * *

Rouge the Bat stepped out of the quiet room, scoffing at the blood that had splashed onto her boots. She walked casually towards the nearby washroom and frowned at her reflection. Blood had spattered across one side of her face…from the amount of time she took in there it had probably dried by now. The same could be said for her white wool sweater and designer skirt...honestly, she tried to be clean this time, but that didn't help, did it?

"No soap," she muttered as she smacked the dirty dispenser. "Figures. At least the bomb should go off...five seconds, I think."

She checked her watch for the time, and it came...but without the loud boom that she had planned on.

Something was clearly up.

"I can wager a guess at who that might be...god, when will he _stop_?"

She flung open the door to the washroom, visibly irritated. The smell of blood hit her as soon as she entered the next room, but she ignored it as she had earlier, walking casually past the dead bodies and towards the far wall. Her plastic explosive lay in pieces, the wires and material cleanly diced up.

A whisper in the wind caught her ears, and she smoothly tilted her head to one side, watching as the kunai jammed itself into the wall nearby. Rouge lashed out with a kick, hitting something solid and sending it sliding across the room. Reaching behind her back, she drew her service pistol, a Browning M1911A1.

"I suggest you not try my patience any more than you already have."

The visitor revealed himself, still silhouetted in the shadows. Gold eyes stared back at the bat as she kept the gun barrel aimed towards him.

"Like these men did?"

"So you understand."

"I do not understand why you killed them."

"It was my life or theirs."

"Hmph." Espio stepped forward into the dim light of the room. "You make it sound black and white. I'm certain that this was not the case."

"Were you here?"

"No."

"Then you have no business to talk," she said with dismissal. "Are you going to leave here under your own strength? Or shall I arrange a body bag for your convenience?"

"Rouge."

"Ignoring me, are you?"

"Rouge, are you willing to listen, or should I just resume my attack?" he asked firmly. She gave him a cold stare, but after a few moments she decided to tuck the pistol just underneath the belt on her waist.

"Speak."

"Are you willing to answer my questions?"

"I reserve the right to pass on any ones I don't like."

"So noted."

"What do you want to know?" Her blue eyes gave off a glow as she started to walk around the room. Espio closed his eyes in thought.

"If I might ask...the purpose of this infiltration."

"To obtain some information."

"What kind of information?"

"That's classified."

"Black operation?"

"You tell me."

The chameleon gave her a neutral look, considering the reasons why she wouldn't speak. Maybe she was wearing some kind of listening device, or there was one planted in the room.

And maybe she was just being the stubborn woman she usually was, refusing to give him any kind of information.

"What a coincidence that our paths cross like this again," she said. Espio blinked at that.

"What did you say...?"

"I said...it's strange that we've met like this again. How is it that we end up in each others' business so often?" she asked, genuinely curious.

"Is the room bugged?"

"No."

"Are you?"

She glared daggers at him. "What the hell do you take me for?"

_That's a no_, he concluded. "Then I will tell you why _I_ am here. Nicholas Pearson."

"You..." Her lips moved up and down in shock. "You...you have got to be _fucking kidding me_!"

"I take it that your mission relates to him as well," Espio replied in a flat tone. Rouge stomped on the blood-soaked ground below, snarling in anger.

"How? How do you know about him and all of this?" Her eyes locked onto his, fury pulsing through them. "Who told you?"

"His granddaughter."

"What…"

"She came to us, promising a large sum to find out the truth behind this rumour. If these people," he said while motioning to the bodies on the floor, "were willing to kill and be killed for this information, then it must be much more than that. The writings don't give away much."

"But it's enough," Rouge concluded.

"Yes. It is enough."

"…"

Rouge turned on her heel and walked towards the exit.

"I guess we'll see each other again," she said.

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. I won't stop until this is solved."

"And something is found? Will you report to G.U.N?"

There was a waver in her eyes as she looked at Espio. She said nothing as she started to walk away once more.

"Might I ask one more question?"

"Whatever…"

"There is much anger in your heart. What has caused this? Why are you changing?"

"You said one question," she replied softly.

"I did…I apologize. Answer whichever one you so choose and I will leave you on your way."

"I've been hiding myself for a long time, Espio. A very long time. Just holding back, because it was what we had to do for the sake of justice. But right now…"

She sauntered towards him, a devilish look on her face. The lights of the room flickered with every step that she took.

"I'm not required to be politically correct. Not to you, or to anyone who crosses me. You know what I am above all else? Not a good little soldier girl, no…and I don't have a code to stick to, like you. I'm a cold-blooded mercenary. That's how I grew up, and it's how I live."

"Will it be how you die as well?"

"If it comes to that…I'd rather be sipping tequila on a sunny beach somewhere, but life can be quite…_unpredictable_."

Espio felt uneasy from her tone, tensing up reflexively.

"I will find the truth, by any means necessary. You understand, of course." She smiled as he gave her a slow nod. "Good. Since we're both looking for the same thing, how about we cooperate?"

"It depends on a few factors."

"Oh?" Rouge tilted her head to one side.

"We may be looking for the same thing, but our purposes seem to be different."

"Mm…you make a very good point." She traced a finger over his shoulder. "I'm here for some fact-finding. After that, I'm supposed to report to G.U.N on what I've found, and nothing more. Then they'll make the call from there. What about you?"

"I am also here for fact-finding purposes. This place was one of my leads…and I am supposed to report to our young client on what I have found. She hasn't given anything on what she plans to do if this is all real."

"You see where I'm going with this," she said.

"You want us to compare notes. More importantly, you want us to work together in a way."

"I find something, I tell you about it. You find something, you tell me about it. A closed loop of information."

"While everyone else gets the minimum."

"Exactly."

Espio quickly mulled over his options. He could still smell the blood on her person, and the suddenly playful look in her blue eyes didn't exactly put him at ease, either. She had the capacity to become a loose cannon, and she killed far too readily for his tastes…though that wasn't saying much, since he avoided fatal blows whenever possible.

He gave her a smirk anyways and extended his hand.

"Ready when you are, comrade."

She smiled back, taking his hand firmly and shaking it.

"Looks like we're in business. I'll send you the location of the drop box…or shall we use yours?"

Espio shook his head. It figured she would know his spot.

"You don't consider it compromised by now?"

"Not when I'm the only one besides you who knows about it," she said with a wink. "I'll make the drop tomorrow at your place."

"Very well, then. Goodbye for now, Rouge."

"Yeah. Don't be a stranger."

Espio disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

"Another adventure, huh…" Rouge smiled to herself as she left the room, slipping down the stairs and out the side exit. Spreading her wings, she took off into the air, soaring above the streets of Station Square. Police cruisers lit up the night as they raced towards her previous location.

Without a trace, she too had disappeared into the night.

* * *

Morning shone down upon the Mystic Ruins, the light from the rising sun spilling out over the land before it. A fresh layer of dew coated the ground, and the one lying on top of it as well. His blue fur was wet with droplets as he remained motionless, eyes bloodshot from his restless night.

Inside the nearby workshop, Tails yawned and rose out of his kitchen chair, his cup of hot chocolate ice cold and neglected from the night before. The wooden table carried dried pools of his drink, but he ignored them for the time being and headed outside.

He spotted the hedgehog lying on the ground, as he must have been for the entire night.

"Sonic."

His tone was cooler than the morning air. Green eyes darted away from blue, his expression disturbingly neutral.

"You broke her heart, you know. Why are you acting like it hurt you so badly? You've probably wanted to do that for the longest time, right? I guess you regret it now, seeing what it's done to her."

There was still no response from the other party.

"All you've done is run from her."

He broke his silence, nodding along. "Yeah."

"…You didn't even give her a chance."

"A chance…for what?"

"She obviously cares about you! The least you could have done was to give your relationship a try!"

"That doesn't make sense," Sonic said wearily. "I don't feel the way that she does towards me. She's close to me, as my friend. That's all."

"You keep saying that. Who are you trying to convince, Sonic?"

The hedgehog sat up quickly, throwing the thin film of dew on his body outwards into the air. His look of quiet sorrow changed to one of indignation – the fox boy had laid into him the night before after talking to Amy and Cream. He had stood there and taken the verbal battering, feeling like utter garbage for the pain that he had caused Amy earlier.

"I'm not trying to convince anyone, I'm telling the truth. I don't feel that way towards her."

"Why wait this long, then?" Tails asked accusingly.

"Because…"

"Because what?"

"…"

A snort. "Yeah, I thought so-"

"Okay!" he yelled. "Okay…it was because I was scared…you satisfied? I was scared of something like this. I was scared of hurting her like I just did. I…I thought that maybe, we could just keep playing this game forever. I'd run, and she'd chase me…maybe it could have stayed like that."

"So why didn't you tell her that?"

"Because I couldn't," he said with sadness. "I couldn't keep…just lying to her like that. Acting like she had a shot, when she didn't. Have you ever chased something that was always just out of your reach? That's what it's like…if I kept it going like this, she'd grow up and realize that the entire time, I was just playing with her heart."

Tails scoffed. "You mean like you weren't doing that all of these years already."

Sonic rose up at lightning speed, grabbing Tails by the fur on his chest as he leaned forward.

"You take that back…"

"_So_ sorry, did I strike a nerve?"

"**Take it back!**"

"Why should I?" Tails snarled back in defiance. Sonic's bloodshot eyes quivered in anger.

"You think you know _everything_, but you're clueless, you know that? I would never do that to her! Ever! How many opportunities have I had to wrap her around my finger? To make her do anything I could possibly want? How many of those chances did I take, huh? How many times did I simply use her and throw her away?"

He tossed the fox to the ground.

"You don't know. You'll never know, no matter how much you think you know me, no matter how much you take her side. I listened to you tear me apart for every mistake I made with her. I took it all. But you don't **dare** accuse me of using her like a cheap toy."

"…"

"I love her, Tails. Even though I'm not going to be with her, I love her more than anyone else. I love her more than you'll ever know. I promise you that."

Sonic shot off like a rocket in the next moment, the earth smouldering in his wake. Tails dusted himself off, but pondered his friend's words.

He could have easily left everything as it was, but he chose to tell her his feelings. He chose to be honest when he knew what would happen in the end. Was it all just an act, or…? He wasn't sure what to think, after hearing Amy in hysterics and getting no answers from his best friend who had supposedly caused the problem. Today had brought some results, somehow.

Tails didn't like seeing any of his friends hurt. From the way things had always gone, Sonic had been the one to avoid Amy's advances or brush her off. The night before, he said that all he told her was that they could only be friends and nothing more. Sonic hadn't said anything after that, even when the fox was screaming at him, telling him how badly he had screwed up with her. He had listened to every word before trudging outside and falling to the ground.

This morning, he had run off, but not before saying what he had to say. Last night, Tails had called him a coward, and though he twitched at the mention, he said nothing in response.

Was this…was this really cowardice? Was this the easy way out? Was he simply scared of commitment, of any kind of serious relationship? He had been so sure that all of those were true last night, but the morning sun was rising, Sonic was gone, and now he was questioning himself over and over again.

"I thought it was so simple…analyzing everything as it is. Taking all the facts into account. Guess not, huh…"

A thought soon came to mind, and he stepped back into his workshop to make a call. She would know more about these things than anyone else, wouldn't she?

* * *

"It seems as if my grandfather wasn't the only one experimenting so heavily with Chaos energy now, was he? According to the data that I've found…you're part of something else. Something with far bigger implications than Project Shadow could ever have. The Professor wanted to wipe out humanity, but _he_ couldn't have that. And so, these projects awakened just in case, but thanks to our work at Cannon's Core and on the Eclipse Cannon, their help wasn't needed. However, something else caught my attention. During the Black Arms invasion, numerous amounts of the Black Arms' forces were wiped out with no casualties to our side…"

Doctor Ivo 'Eggman' Robotnik paced in front of the transparent cell, its walls made of polarized Chaos Energy. It was impenetrable for those who either didn't know how to draw on Chaos Energy or were too weak to do so. The subject in this case fit the latter description, though she had destroyed two robots in a flash earlier.

"The military reported it under their list of kills, but by analyzing their inventory and locations at the time of the attack, it was impossible for G.U.N to have done all that work in such a short amount of time, unnoticed. But with someone like _you_ on the scene, it all adds up."

The stranger said nothing, her hands bound behind her back with iron restraints. She sniffled through her relatively short – for a hedgehog's – nose, and charcoal eyes stared at the ground below with indifference. Light rippled off of navy blue fur, some of which veiled the top of her face as it grew wildly from her head and spilled down her shoulders in a wavy mess, or what seemed like it.

Eggman stepped into view again, and she tensed, sending her soft quills straight upwards like daggers from her back. Her eyes stayed averted as he observed her with curiosity, and as he paced away, she relaxed, allowing them to fall back into place. She shifted her legs, suddenly thankful for denim jeans as they brushed against the rough earth. Wasn't exactly a five-star experience, was it…

"I've wondered why it was hedgehogs he chose. Perhaps to compare with dear old granddad? Or perhaps because of their superiority when it came to test subjects? I suppose that might be case, seeing how resilient Shadow and that blue pest are. That is beside the point…we're here to talk about you, and what you can do for me, little miss hedgehog."

She raised her head, looking at him impassively. Her mouth stayed closed as she tilted her head to one side, Eggman unwittingly following her movement until he nearly fell over.

"Hey! Stop that!"

A small smile graced her lips as she watched him stumble.

"You…you're a strange one," he muttered, righting himself in a hurry. "But that name, Luna Kaguya…it fits with the theme he had going, though."

The girl looked at the doctor, confused as to what he meant. What did her name have to do with anything?

"Princess Kaguya, from the moon. Luna, the Roman moon goddess."

He pointed at the girl dramatically, who almost fell over in her confines.

"It all adds up from the notes and rumours! I've found the first of Doctor Pearson's three greatest creations! The Moon goddess...**Tsukuyomi!**"


	29. More Than You Knew, Part 3

a/n: More high drama! Or something to that effect, I guess. Enjoy, and thanks as always.

* * *

It was now a week after Lucy's arrival into the past. The skies above Station Square were dreary and grey, rain falling hard in sheets.

"From the looks of things, it'll be like this for at least another day or two, but after that we should have some sunny days ahead for the next two to three weeks! Today's forecast calls for some heavy rain and a chance of thunderstorms, with a low of 55 degrees, which is still pretty warm! Our daytime high is a toasty 64!"

The camera focused on the reporter, who stood under an umbrella as the rain came down at a steady pace. Thick and curly hair reached down to her waist, some of it spiralling inwards like miniature pink drills.

"Now, here's our seven day forecast…"

A slender arm gestured to one side, bringing up the virtual screen that the viewers at home would be looking at. She had memorized the distances between each day and spoke with confidence, pointing here and there to emphasise her comments on the week's weather.

"And that about wraps it up! This is Sakura Bright, reporting live for Channel 5 Weather."

The bright light on the top of the camera shut off, signalling that she was off the air. Sakura sighed and ran a hand through her quills, thinking about what had happened in the past few days. She was worried about someone.

"Still haven't heard anything back…"

"Sakura, come on! We're heading back to the studio!"

"Yeah, I'm coming…"

She looked forlornly down the busy streets, watching people move about as the rain fell. Like nothing special was going on. White boots splashed against the sidewalk as she moved towards the news van, which was ready to take everyone back to the station.

"Hey."

She blinked and turned to the human cameraman in front of her, one she had known ever since she had gotten her current job. He placed a hand on her shoulder gently.

"It'll be okay, Sakura. You'll find her."

She shook her head. "I'm not so sure, Brian. Something bad's happened to her, I can almost sense it somehow. Why would anyone snatch her away like this?"

Brian exhaled, running a hand through his greying hair. "I don't know. People in this world, you can't understand them at a glance. She's a strong girl, though, so…"

"That's what worries me, Brian. Luna's so good at defending herself, so what could have possibly smashed up her home like that? Who could have possibly overpowered her? I…I don't get it. I just don't, you know?"

"Yeah, I get what you mean," the man said.

"Hey, I heard something the other night about an eye-witness account," a woman said from nearby. "Actually, two of them."

"Yeah? What were they about?" Brian asked absentmindedly.

"Both reports mentioned blue streaks and at least one sonic boom from a distance…"

Sakura's blue eyes went wide. "Blue streaks…sonic boom?"

"Wait just a moment. You're sure now?" Brian asked nervously. "Because you're implying that…"

"Yeah, I know. Nobody else could believe it either, but it had to be him," the woman said.

"…"

"Sakura? You okay?"

In a flash, the blossom pink hedgehog had thrown open the van's side door and jumped out, racing down the nearby side street in the rain.

"Hey! Sakura!" Brian called out. "Come back! Where the hell could she be going?"

The driver pulled over to one side of the road, adjusting his tinted glasses as he looked back at Brian. "Think we should follow her?"

Brian paused for a beat. "…No. She seems keen on taking this on by herself. I recognized that look in her eyes. Take us back to the station, bud. She'll find her way over."

"Roger that." The van started moving again, Brian looking down the street one more time before shutting the side door.

Sakura felt herself getting soaked by the rain, but could care less as she raced down the city streets. There was a place, a certain place…right there! That small café, easy to miss if you weren't looking for it. Today it was raining…she usually was in there.

Stepping through the door, Sakura walked up to the old man who tended to the place, a Donald Goodman. Well, she only knew that he was old because he gave away his age during a conversation, otherwise he looked like he was in his thirties. Hair still dark and handsome in a straight cut, and a distinctive, chiselled face.

"If it isn't my favourite reporter! What can I do for you, Sakura?" he said, busy wiping down the front bar.

"Is…is she here?" she asked, out of breath.

"You mean your little 'twin', Amy. Ah…she hasn't been around in a while, actually."

"Why's that?"

"No clue. Didn't show any signs of being sick, or anything like that." He leaned in close to Sakura. "Might be relationship troubles, if I had to guess."

"You mean with Sonic." Donald nodded in response.

"Yes, ma'am. But he was in here a lot with her the past few months, showing her a good time, paying for everything…real chivalrous, that one. Surprised me a bit, actually."

"You haven't seen him around either, huh?"

"No, ma'am. Not a trace of either one."

_Means that she's either at home or on vacation,_ Sakura reasoned. "Thanks, Donald."

"No worries. Sure you don't need a hot drink out there?"

"No time! Thanks, though!"

"Young people…" He shook his head with a smile as Sakura took off again. The rain had soaked through her dark sweater and skirt, but she paid it no mind as she caught up with a taxi. In a flash, she dropped into the empty back seat and fished out her wallet, flashing bills in the rear view mirror.

"Take the next left."

She shut the door expertly with one foot as the driver complied.

* * *

Lucy flipped pancakes on the stove as Amy continued to lie about on her couch, flicking through various channels. Sakura Bright had been on earlier, and Amy remembered her from Donald's café in the east end of Station Square. She was nice enough…though she wouldn't have let her anywhere near Sonic at the time. It was different now.

Sonic obviously didn't care too much about her.

"Amy? Do you want pancakes?"

A muffled grunt served as Lucy's answer, and she shrugged while flipping another pancake into the air.

"Suit yourself. You're acting childish about the whole thing, you know."

Amy turned onto her back. "Yeah? Tails didn't think so."

"Miles," she started, "is a sweet boy, and he obviously cares a lot about you and Sonic. But he's being far too analytical in this case. I heard him on the speaker before he shut it off."

"Heard him doing what?"

"Tearing into Sonic like a dog would do to a steak. Sonic didn't say a word in return. He felt bad then and he still does now."

"So?"

"So…there is going to be a point where he'll simply get over it and try to live his life. That's what you should do, Amy."

Amy let out a 'hmph' as she rose, smoothing out her shirt so that it met her pyjama bottoms. A scowl crossed her face as she placed a hand on one hip. "Am I supposed to get over the fact that he was lying to me, Lucy?"

"Lying? Are you serious?"

"He tells me that he loves me, but that we can only be friends. How can you love someone that much, but only want to be friends with them? That doesn't make any sense!"

Lucy rolled her eyes, adjusting her striped pyjamas. "You're joking."

"I don't kid about these sorts of things!"

"You could have fooled me. How is that you seem to think that the only way someone can show their affection for you is by being all mushy and the like? Have you ever stopped to think that maybe, just maybe, it's not like him?"

"So what took him so long to come out with it? What took him so long to finally come out and say that he doesn't love me?"

"But he _does_ love you. He obviously cares about you and your well-being. You're just being stubborn. And he took so long because…well, look at you!"

Amy looked herself over. "What? What's wrong, now?"

Lucy sighed and grabbed her plate, along with a fork and a bottle of syrup. She sat on the couch, motioning for Amy to do the same. The pink hedgehog sighed and reluctantly did so.

"You've stopped all semblance of exercise, you're eating nothing but junk food all day, and a few days ago you were throwing fits at random. Not to mention the whole butter knife saga."

"Yeah…that _was_ kind of over the top, I'll admit."

"Glad to hear at least that. Here, eat."

"I don't want to…"

Lucy turned her friend's head and stuffed a piece of pancake in her mouth. "You're going to. How is it?"

"Mm…it's good. Buttermilk?"

"Yup."

"Forgot I had that in the house. Go figure."

"Anyways, back to what I was saying…listen. I know you're broken up. It's hard for a lot of us to hear that they'll never be able to reach their ideal place. But you know…I talked to him."

"When?" she asked, curious.

"Right after I talked to you. You were in hysterics, but he was…I'm not sure how to put it."

"I guess he was upset too, huh?"

Lucy shook her head. "No…not that. He was just standing there where you left him. And he looked like he was…dead. Like someone ripped out his heart and stomped on it."

"I know that he looked like he was in pain…but how do you compare that to having chased someone for years and years, only for them to tell you that they don't want you?"

"I don't know. I'm not even sure if I can compare those feelings." She looked at Amy. "Can you?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Can you say that your pain was greater than his? Without a doubt?"

"I…what does that have to do with anything?" Amy said defensively. "He's only hurting himself by lying like that!"

"You keep saying that he's lying, he's lying, _he's lying_, but you can't even tell me what he was thinking or feeling at that point in time!" Lucy yelled, exasperated. "How does that make any sense, Amy? How do you know that he wanted to say that he loved you and wanted to be with you forever instead? How do you know that he didn't want to just kiss you right there and then, and whisper to you about how beautiful you are? How do you know that he's not tormented every night by how you looked when he said those words?"

Amy only blinked in response, absorbing the information that had come in.

"Amy…he's let you chase him since you were kids. Since you first met at Never Lake. Your future self told me that. She told me so much that she learned and remembered from the old days. Our days that we have here. There was one thing that she told me about Sonic, and it never left my mind."

"What…was it?"

"No matter what the time of day, no matter what the season, or the circumstance…this always held true. No matter how far he ran from you…"

"…he was always within reach."

Amy looked up at Lucy as she finished the sentence, an understanding forming between them.

"So that if I needed him…he would always be there."

"Yes…that's it. No matter what. Even as a _friend_."

"Lucy…" Amy shook her head softly. "I don't understand exactly why, though. Why can't we be more than just that?"

"You told me the other day that everyone has their reasons for doing things. Isn't he the same?"

"Yeah…"

"Then it's obvious. All you need to do…is ask."

Amy thought about it, finally nodding in agreement. "Okay…I guess I'll ask, then."

"Maybe we could start that today?"

"Uh…I think I'll need another week, Lucy."

"What?" The olive hedgehog gave her friend a frown. "Why's that?"

Amy smiled, patting her stomach. "I wanna look my best, you know?"

"Hm. Gotcha," Lucy said with a smile of her own. "Looks like it's time for a monster workout session!"

A knock on the door interrupted them.

"Wonder who it is?"

Amy hopped off of the couch and unlocked the door. Standing there, soaked to the bone was Sakura Bright.

"Miss Bright? Come in, quickly! You'll catch cold like that!"

"I didn't have time to grab my umbrella," she quickly responded. "And you can call me Sakura, if you'd like."

"My question to you is…what were you doing outside in the rain? And why did you come to my house, of all places? You were live doing the forecast just a while ago!"

"I know…I came for information."

"Information," Lucy repeated. "On what?"

"Since Amy's usually spotted where Sonic is, I thought it would be a good idea to ask her about his movements…"

"What's wrong? Do you need his help?"

Sakura's eyes darkened. "You're mistaken. I just need to know where he is so I can beat his face in."

"What?" Amy gasped.

"I don't get it…what happened to you, Sakura?" Lucy asked.

Sakura grit her teeth, hands clenched tightly at her sides in anger.

"My sister Luna…was kidnapped by **Sonic the Hedgehog!"**


	30. More Than You Knew, Part 4

a/n: Another chapter. Thanks for reading, as always.

* * *

"Hold on a moment."

Sakura looked up at Amy, visibly confused. "What?"

"Think about what you're saying, Sakura. Sonic the Hedgehog. You know, the guy who has girls chasing him across the planet – including yours truly – and saves pretty much everyone's behinds whenever they need it. Why exactly would he kidnap your sister - who he probably doesn't know exists - and what's his reason for doing so?"

"You're clearly biased here, Amy. No offence," Sakura replied.

"None taken. And you're right, but ask yourself this…why is it that you're so sure it's _Sonic_ who took your sister?"

"You're suggesting that there's some sort of evil clone of Sonic the Hedgehog running around."

"Actually, I'm stating that there's an evil robotic copy running around. Good first guess, though."

Sakura crossed her arms. "Right. Tell me why I shouldn't call bullshit on your theory," she said coldly.

"Because," Amy said with an intense stare, "he kidnapped me when I was a little girl. I…well, every once in a while I'd get these flashbacks. Doesn't help that he's everywhere Eggman is these days, either…"

"Eggman?"

"Yeah. He and Sonic have been fighting for years, but I guess you already knew that."

"I did," Sakura said. "I just wasn't aware that it was all that serious. Robot copy, sheesh...talk about obsession. I guess that in regards to Luna, it makes sense. Sonic wouldn't need to trash her place to get her to come with him…" She cracked a smile. "She's a bit of a fan girl, that one. Just about on your level, minus the excessive public affection and stalker tendencies."

"I disagree with the stalker assessment," Amy said flippantly. "I just happen to be in the right place at the right time every time, that's all."

"Sure, whatever you call it," Sakura said while rolling her eyes. "Anyways, you say that it was this Metal Sonic character who took Luna. Why?"

"That's what we thought you would know," Lucy cut in. "Maybe something unusual she does, something that would catch that Eggman's attention."

"Nothing other than swordplay, but there are lots of those types around here. She's part of a league, for goodness' sakes!"

"Is she your biological sister?" Amy asked.

"No...we were all orphans. But we were sponsored for the longest time by the Pearson family."

"I've heard of them briefly," Lucy mused.

"Briefly? You'd have to have been living real far away to _not_ have heard of them."

"Ah, I see. Well...I'm not exactly from around here." Amy couldn't help but crack a smile at that.

Sakura nodded. "Understandable. The Pearsons are a family with a history of science and entrepreneurial ventures. Most notably, Doctor Nicholas Pearson worked in the Space Colony ARK for several years as a G.U.N researcher before it was shut down. I'm guessing you know the whole story, Amy."

"Yeah. That trip to ARK was...educational, to say the least."

"I have a younger brother living in the city as well. Hopefully he doesn't get caught up in this mess...the poor kid can barely handle a dumbbell let alone supersonic androids."

"You should do that," Amy said. "And maybe we should come with you. If we want to find your sister, we'll have to find one of Eggy's underground bases. Well, they're _usually_ underground."

"And just how would we go about that?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, I know a few friends~"

* * *

G.U.N had a specialized outdoor shooting range, one of the best in the world for training and heavy drills. An unusually large crowd had gathered in one of the target areas, watching a particular Agent ready himself by strapping on a pair of protective goggles. He said that he didn't need them, but didn't want the hassle of being called out for a violation with this many people around. Earplugs went in, and he pulled his gloves tight around his wrists. Red and black ones, custom made for extreme conditions at his request. His Inhibitor Rings went snugly around them, which he liked - though he wouldn't admit it.

He shot a quick look at the band around his upper arm, signifying his rank, position, and clearance. In the next moment, he was ready, giving a quick nod to the target operators on the far left side. He stood inside of a box lined with white chalk, feet planted firmly.

Shadow was annoyed by the large crowd, but he had requested clearance to have the target range exceed its maximum difficulty by several bounds. Naturally, word got around. Concerns of the facilities being ruined were quickly hushed when Shadow promised nothing but good old-fashioned firearms for his 'display'.

"Maybe they should start charging admission," he muttered. Several long beeps indicated the countdown, and they rose in pitch with the last five seconds.

Four.

Now everyone was really curious.

Three.

There was murmuring amongst the crowd.

Two.

For good reason, too.

One.

There were no weapons in sight. How could you shoot targets with no weapons?

"Mark!"

A scowl crossed Shadow's face as the first pistol appeared in his hands. Two tenths of a second...sloppy. Browning M1911, single action. Three clay disks shot up from hidden launchers in the earth, and they were pummelled into dust simultaneously. Five more shot to the right, and Shadow crossed over one arm as he called a pistol to it as well, and squeezed the trigger to destroy each one.

By now, the crowd was in stunned silence. A moment ago, he had no weapons. Now he had two, and he was shooting down the clay discs at a frightening pace. The operators only had so much more room to push the course, else it would need some serious repair.

The clay 'birds' were being launched faster and further, out of the Browning's range. Time to switch it up.

In a flash of light, Shadow called his M-16 rifle to his hands. He shouldered it and tapped the trigger in quick bursts, shattering the clay targets as they spun through the air. Several wooden targets popped up in clusters at close range; Shadow tossed the rifle which disappeared into thin air as he lined up the shotgun now in his hands. Several loud booms sounded as the steel pellets hit their marks, peppering the bull's-eyes with holes as they passed through.

The hedgehog dropped to one knee and instantly had his hands around a sniper rifle. He made calculations at lightning speed before firing at the fast moving targets coming from above, hitting each of them dead center with unerring strikes.

"Not done yet..."

Shadow again called on his pistols as more detailed targets appeared. Some were in the shape of civilians, others in the shapes of common enemies. Small lasers from the targets were to register 'hits' on Shadow if he took too long, a signal that he had failed the exercise. The black hedgehog's hands became blurs as he locked onto each target, nailing the enemy ones with headshots before they could realize he was there. They appeared in a 360 degree circle at speeds that nobody should have been able to react to, at least reliably. Red eyes swiftly focused on each shot as it hit home, moving from one obliterated target to a fresh one in an instant.

Briefly, he thought about picking off targets without looking at them...it could easily done, but that was a bit too cocky for his tastes. Something that the blue hedgehog would try, not him. Professionalism was key.

"Whoooo! Go, Shadow!"

Of course, that was something certain team-mates had yet to learn. Resisting the urge to roll his eyes at the bat, Shadow spun back and forth within his boxed area as he kept shooting. Firing twice with one gun, he quickly swapped the other one as it emptied, and repeated the motion to reload the other.

The last target appeared straight ahead, obstructed by civilians. Shadow thought for a moment before deciding to stick with the less precise Browning pistol, taking a hard step forward, and twisting his gun arm. He snapped it forward violently as he pulled the trigger, a sonic boom sounding briefly as the bullet tore through the air and right through the target. It whizzed through the iron wall behind the target and into the distance, eventually stopping when it hit the farthest wall of the training grounds.

Shadow frowned.

That had taken too long.

He had the pistols disappear into thin air, and he walked off of the course without a word.

"Hey, Sunshine. That was some good shooting!"

"Hmph."

"I can tell that you're ecstatic, no need to reiterate," Rouge said with a smile. "But...can you tell me your secret?"

Shadow whipped up his pistol, handing it to Rouge grip-first. She looked at it for a while, confused as to what he was trying to point out.

"Uh...feels a bit heavier."

"Yeah."

"That's it? Come on, that can't be all."

"Just be quiet and focus."

"What?"

He glared at her. "You'll get it if you do that."

Sighing, she closed her eyes and went silent as he asked. A familiar energy reached her, and it was coming from the grip of the pistol. Rouge opened her eyes, pointing at Shadow. "Hey...this feels like you."

"It's a modified Chaos Drive. I've filled it with my energy, and then installed it in the weapon I felt like using, which happened to be this pistol."

"Ah, I see. Since it's your energy..."

"I can call it back to myself. Not quite Chaos Control, but something similar in its function. In essence, I am able to mark various places and things with concentrations of my energies. I am then able to call them to myself in a one way trip, using Chaos Trace, or I can warp myself to those locations via Chaos Control."

"Chaos Trace, huh?" Rouge said with a nod.

"It was an experimental method of transport proposed by Gerald. However, he claims that he got the idea from Maria..."

"Maria?"

"Yes." Shadow stared off into the distance. "There were domesticated animals aboard the ARK at one point. Maria liked them, and she spent time with them when she wasn't too busy with other things. She had them respond to a whistle she made, a particular one on a particular frequency for each animal. The Professor thought it was fascinating."

"Did she have a whistle for you, Shadow?"

He smiled. "Yeah. She did. It sounded whenever she wanted to see me."

"Must have been nice to have you on demand. I wonder if you'd do the same for me, if I made a whistle up for you."

"Hmph." Shadow's smile dropped for a moment before returning. "I suppose one could dream."

"Now that's just mean. C'mon, Sunshine! Just for one day?"

"Nope."

"An hour!"

"Nope."

"At least let me try it once," Rouge pleaded.

"I'm sorry, I can't hear you too well, Rouge."

"Stop lying!"

"Did you say something?"

She pouted. "I hate you sometimes, you know that?"

He shrugged in his usual manner as he walked on. "Join the club."

"Well...maybe I will!" Rouge huffed as she followed him.

* * *

Metallic knuckles rapped the apartment's front door. The tenant grumbled and rolled out of his bed, hitting the floor with a yelp.

"Who...? It's too early for this...my day off, you know? Can't a hedgehog get some peace?"

The now annoyed tenant grumbled loudly as he got free of his bed sheets. He yawned as he shrugged on a green robe, perfectly matching his quills as they shot out of his head in every direction.

"Haven't even got my cup o' joe..."

He wondered who it could be. Opening the door, he went into his routine.

"Is this the residence of Spike Tempest?"

"Yeah..." The green hedgehog squinted, attempting to make out whoever was outside of his apartment. Looked like...a blue hedgehog?

"Do not ask any questions or attempt to resist. You will come with me immediately."

"Just wait a minute...lemme get my specs on, bud."

After fishing in his pockets, Spike found a pair of wire-frame glasses that brought his orange eyes into focus. He then crossed his arms over his chest in irritation.

"Okay, man. What the _fuck_ are you doing at _my_ front door, waking _me_ up, telling _me_ that I have to come with _you_? I mean, look at you! You're just a...a...um..."

He stared into a pair of glowing red eyes, chuckling nervously.

"An evil robot copy of Sonic the Hedgehog. Oh."

Metal Sonic's arm shot forward, and he gripped Spike by the neck tightly.

"Oh, come on, man! Can't ya take a joke?"

A blue blur slammed into Metal Sonic's back, throwing him off balance and causing the green hedgehog to fall out of his grip. Not a second later, a pink mallet slammed into the robot's chest, throwing him through the apartment in a storm of debris.

"Should've figured it was you, Metal-head. You okay, man?"

"Y-yeah. Just peachy, you know?"

Sonic nodded, turning to Amy as she swung her Piko Piko Hammer onto her shoulder.

"Hey."

"Hey," she replied.

"I've been doing some thinking."

"Yeah. Me too."

"…I think I've got some things I need to say to you. Things I should have said earlier. I was just…"

"Scared."

He nodded slowly.

"I understand. I was scared, too. Still am," Amy said with a hand over her heart.

"Maybe we could face our fears together."

She smiled. "I'd like that."

"I hate to interrupt your run for an Emmy," Sakura shouted, "But I think the psychotic robot clone is coming back for round two!"

Metal Sonic rose from the rubble, eyes glowing viciously.

"So…that's Metal Sonic," Lucy said as she arrived. "How interesting. You really could mistake it for Sonic at a distance. The creator must have put a lot of time into this piece of work…"

"That thing…kidnapped Luna." Sakura held her brother tightly, even as he squirmed in her overprotective grip. "Did we just land in a Terminator remake?"

"Dammit, I haven't finished paying the lease on my place! What the hell, guys!"

"We meet again, my loathsome copy," Metal droned.

"Seems so. I'm pretty ticked right now, what with you going around and sullying my good name recently," Sonic shot back.

"A minor inconvenience…compared to what I will do to you now."

Sonic stretched his limbs, indifferent to the robot's threats. "Whatever you say. I feel like serving up something today, just for you."

"I've got an idea," Amy cut in, brandishing her hammer. "How about an extra large clobbering, with all the fixings?"

"Mm-hm. Sounds good, Ames. One extra large clobbering made to deliver!"

They both pointed at the robot.

"Hope you're hungry!"


	31. Black and White

a/n: Yet another one. I love this story, really I do. We're not even close to the end, so I hope I can keep the pace going. Well, God willing, of course. Always holds true.

Anyways, thank you all for reading and reviewing. This chapter, more revelations. Enjoy.

* * *

In the distant future, a figure opened a metal hatch, dropping underground into a vast network of caves. Shards of rock lit up on the walls as he passed, but he didn't need light to find his way. Not around this place.

Several minutes of walking led him to a vast room, lined on one side with tall tubes for the 'experiments'. They were now beyond repair, bits of twisted metal and wires lying on the floor. All of the liquid in them had evaporated by now, but some still stained the floor, giving it an odd blue hue in some places. Walking to the other side, he saw rows upon rows of now useless machines, which did anything from administering drugs to the subjects to measuring how many times they blinked in a week. Broken keyboards and shattered monitor shells were lying around like trash.

There was one place in particular that stood out amongst the ruin. A metal table, complete with restraints, both leather and metallic. There was one for each relevant part of the body, any part that could possibly help someone escape, or hurt themselves.

Silver stood in front of it, remembering how he had broken those restraints the first time he came here. It was completely by chance that the hatch was open, and after hearing the screams that came from this place, he ran to see what he could do to help, if anything.

What he had found all those years ago was beyond horrifying.

* * *

There was a little hedgehog girl, just barely a child. She screamed and struggled as they pumped something into her veins, something that put her in unbearable pain. The humans stood and watched her cry, tears running down her face. Chocolate brown quills slowly changed to olive green, and she was trying desperately to get herself free. More of the liquid went into her, and she convulsed at every moment as it tried to take over her, tried to change her.

It was then that Silver stepped in.

He was only a child himself, but he had seen the world for what it was, felt it scar him. The cruelty had never changed his drive, nor his desire to see goodness and justice win out in the end. This would be one step on a long, hard road. He knew he had to take it, no matter what. Even if it meant death.

Silver had been hunted, sought out for his powers to use them against Shadow. He had always refused, wanting to take down the black hedgehog on his own someday, in the right way. He had never seen anything like this before, and he snapped. What they were doing to that poor girl, he had to stop it, or...

Using his mind, he stealthily picked up a scalpel lying on the nearby tray. His aim was true as he sliced through the tubes that supplied the dangerous liquid to the girl, and she stopped shaking. All eyes turned to the silver hedgehog as he charged in, knocking some of the humans off balance.

Many were armed, but Silver took care of that. As he ran by, he induced his psychokinesis to lift the weapons from them, throwing them into a pile near one of the larger machines. The sword on his back flew up on its own, impaling the machine and causing it to explode. The cache of firearms was consumed in a large fireball.

Silver ran for the girl, but the humans pulled him back as he tried to reach out to her. She was nearly delirious, but knew what he had done...he had stopped the pain. For once, someone had heard her cries.

She could only watch as he fought bravely, trying to fend off the crowd of men and women with his sword. Flying up into the, he picked up the crowd and tossed them hard into a row of equipment, dazing them for a moment. He ran up to the girl, slicing through her bonds with ease.

"Do you want to come with me?"

He only asked because of the fear and hesitation in her eyes. She must have been wondering if he was simply the same as those humans, as everyone else who promised to keep her safe. They had tossed her aside for their own reasons. Fear of the fact she was a hedgehog, and that she'd turn out just like Shadow, or even join him on his rampage. A twisted logic that led to her being used as their 'last hope' in a dangerous experiment, one that nobody expected her to survive...at least with her mind intact.

Those golden eyes called to her. She could feel them.

"I'm...a monster...why save me?"

"You're not a monster. You're just special, different. Like I am. That doesn't mean they can treat you like that. That doesn't mean you have to spend your whole life in pain. A lot of those people must have told you that they were friends, right? And then they go and do this to you." He shook his head, frustrated. "But you know what? If you just give me the chance, I'll show you what real friendship is all about."

"You...mean that?"

"I promise. Shall we go?"

"Of course," she said with a weary smile. Ignoring the yells of the humans as they came to, Silver picked the girl up in his arms and hovered above the ground. Mustering up his energy, he took off through the air, rushing through the dark caves until he saw an opening. He flew upwards and put the girl down as he landed, making sure to seal the hatch before they left. It would buy them a few seconds, and that was more than enough.

"Let's run."

She nodded, strongly agreeing with that course of action. The two ran as fast and as far as they could before exhaustion set in.

* * *

"So, do you have a name?"

She paused in the middle of munching on a fruit to think about it. It had been a week, and strangely enough, she hadn't given him her name. It was...something unusual.

"My name is...either Lux or Amaterasu Six."

"Amaterasu...? Why?"

"The humans said that...she was the one with the most remaining DNA, whatever that is," she said while scrunching up her face.

"Amaterasu is someone from Japanese legend," Silver said. "She's the goddess of light. Dunno what Lux means, but it probably has something to do with that, too. Hey, do you have any powers?"

"Powers?"

"Yeah. Like me." Silver demonstrated by lifting an apple into the air with his telekinesis. "I have the power to move stuff with my brain. Those humans must have tried to make you do something, too."

"Did they put weird stuff into you, too?"

"Nah, I was born this way," Silver said with a shrug. "I dunno why, but it must have been destiny or something."

"I can...I think do something like this." Concentrating, she called a bright ball of light to her hands. "S'not as cool as your stuff is, though."

"You'll get better."

"You think I should use these powers an' stuff? Isn't it...bad?"

"Only people are bad, not powers. Good people use their powers for good, and bad people use their powers for bad."

"So...even if they made my powers for bad, they're not bad unless I use them for bad?"

"Right," Silver said with a smile.

She pondered something else from her memories at that moment. One of the few humans that were nice came up with a name. The girl simply hadn't taken it to heart until now.

"Somebody wanted to call me Lucia or something, but one of the ladies said that Lucille sounded better. I think it means…light in some old language."

"That makes sense," Silver said with a nod. "Maybe…Lucy could work? I dunno, Lucille seems like a mouthful."

"Lucy…" A warm feeling started to spread inside of her. With a smile, she nodded back at Silver. "Lucy sounds great! Call me that, 'kay?"

"'Kay."

"Oh, hey! Look!" Lucy ran through the green fields of grass to where several sunflowers were growing. Tilting her head, Lucy looked at them strangely. "Hey, Silver? Why are those flowers so strange?"

"What'cha mean?"

"Look at 'em. They're turned one way, like they're looking for something."

"Oh, I see. Sunflowers are kinda weird. They're always moving towards the light of the sun, so they follow it through the sky. At night, their heads droop, but when the sun comes up, they follow it as it moves. It's pretty cool."

"Yeah…" Lucy coughed once softly. "That is pretty cool. Maybe I should go…and…"

"Lucy, you okay?"

She fell to the ground with a thud, unmoving.

"Lucy? Hey!" Silver ran to where she lay and shook her gently. "Shoot! Gotta make it to a city, or something…fast!"

Silver called his sword over and slung it onto his back as he picked up the unconscious girl.

* * *

"It's a good thing you brought her here when you did. I think she's just overheated."

Silver sighed as the doctor found a needle. This had been the closest place to go, and even though the room was in shambles, it was still useful for medical treatment. A bed, hurriedly installed sink, and a picnic table served as the stage for the young woman's equipment. Finding a vein in Lucy's arm, she extracted blood for analysis.

Or…what they thought was blood.

"What…the hell…"

Silver wondered what was going on before he stared at the needle filled with blood.

It was black.

"Those guys…were experimenting on her," Silver said quietly. The woman fiddled with her long brown hair nervously, looking down at Lucy as she lay still.

"Kid…what'd they do to her, exactly?"

"They were pumping some kind of liquid into her…"

"Damn. Wait…check her wrist. There's a bracelet or something there."

"Yeah?" Silver hadn't really paid it any mind, but there was a bracelet there, with an inscription…

"Amaterasu-Six, property of the Izanagi Resurrection Group…"

"Seriously? She's one of _their_ experiments?" the woman said in disbelief.

"I guess so…she could make light for a little bit…"

"Shadow hit a lab last week. Must have been that one."

"Shadow?" Silver tensed up. "Listen, I'll just get-"

"There's no way, kid. She needs you."

"What? Why?"

"I checked out her brain patterns. It's consistent with partial memory loss. Now, the only thing she may remember is you."

"…"

"It's all up to you…what you tell her."

Silver looked at the girl as she lay there, almost peacefully. Her blood was black. She had strange powers.

As far as she knew, she was simply unique, like he was.

That's what she would have to live with.

Lavender eyes fluttered open, and they stared at Silver.

"I…think I know you…"

His head turned towards the woman. "As long as she takes it easy, her memories won't be wiped like this again. It had to be the trauma of…that," she said cautiously.

Silver nodded, turning back towards Lucy. Stretching his hand outwards, he pulled a sunflower towards it. Lucy took it into her hands with a smile.

"You're nice…I remember you being nice."

"My name's Silver."

"Mm…that sounds right. I…what's my name?"

"It's Lucille." He glanced at the flower in her hand. "Lucille Flower. But I call you Lucy."

"Lucy...that sounds nice. But...Flower? That's a strange name…"

"Seems to fit you, kid. You need a good balance of fresh air, sunshine, and water. Moderation's key, or else you'll shrivel up, just like a plant," the doctor said.

"Ah…so…I'm special, aren't I?"

"Yeah, just a little. Just like me," Silver said, lifting himself off of the ground. Lucy gaped at him.

"Whoa…that's cool! Can I do neat stuff like that?"

"Not yet. Rest for a while, and then we'll talk about that later, okay?"

"'Kay. Silver…thanks."

"Yeah. Any time."

Lucy closed her eyes, falling asleep right away. Silver took a deep breath as he thought on something.

"Hey…is there some kind of militia around here?"

The doctor blinked at that. "Yeah, there is. Not very big though, on account of being scared out of their wits by Shadow. Why?"

"I'm gonna have to pay you back for what you've done, and besides that…I want to help stop Shadow."

"Hm. So you wanna be a militia man, huh?" the woman asked with a smirk.

"Yeah." Silver pounded one fist into his palm. "Just tell me where to sign up."

* * *

In the distant past, Lucy ran alongside the taxi that Sakura and Spike were currently riding in, moving down Station Square's busy streets as quickly as they could.

"You're sure that we'll be safe at the Prower kid's place?" Sakura asked.

"Positive. He said that he was parked uptown, so we'll take one of his machines over to his workshop. If not there, then the island."

"The island?"

"You'll see what I mean," Lucy said with a smile.

"Sure hope so!"

A streak of red caught Lucy's eye, and she moved quickly to intercept it. Barely dodging a bladed claw, she braced herself against the impact of the robot.

The taxi slid to a stop as Lucy slammed into it back first, shattering the glass windows and sending shards flying everywhere. Sakura winced at the cut on her cheek.

"Ow...owowow! That stung!"

Lucy shoved off the intruder and drew her combat knife, but the robot was gone.

"What…the heck was that? Didn't even get a good look at the nut…you all okay? Mister Driver?"

"Yeah, yeah…I'm fine," the man grumbled. Lucy nodded and pulled out a thick stack of bills.

"Here, courtesy of Miss Amy Rose," she said as the man's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "Danger pay."

"Hey…you take what you can get, you know?"

"Sure. Take care of yourself, okay?" Lucy said with a tender smile. "And drive safely."

"Oh, I will. Thanks, miss. Really, I mean it. I'm just gonna wait here for the cops…take a statement."

"Sure. Sakura, are you…okay…" Lucy froze up at what she saw.

The pink hedgehog stepped out of the cab's back seat, her brother griping loudly about how bad a day he was having. She wiped at the cut on her cheek, frowning.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just got cut by that glass. What a ride."

"You…your…"

"What? Something wrong? Something broken?"

"Your blood…it's black."

"Yeah," Sakura said softly. "It is."

Lucy drew her knife again, cutting lightly into the skin on her arm.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Lucy shook her head soberly. "Look…"

Sakura stared on in disbelief as the girl's blood dripped to the asphalt.

The same black blood that she had.


	32. Black and White: Another Road

a/n: So. Huge chapter. Dramatic/romantic/(noun)-ic junk. Also Tails. Hopefully, I now have your attention.

Thank you for all of the support and such. Oh, and reviews. Those are cool, thanks. I appreciate it all to the max. Enjoy the read, and let me know what you think.

* * *

Tails walked through the doors of the Station Square Police Department's 31st Precinct, giving the officers a friendly wave as they greeted him. Most of them knew him from the incident with the Egg Walker a few years back...it had been a great source of pride for him over the years, but he never played it up. Sonic never did so, aside from the occasional brags about trashing the Egg Dragoon. He seemed to have a twisted admiration for the machine, as it had been the only one to push him beyond his limits...and did so twice.

Enduring the occasional tousling of fur and comments about how adorable he was, Tails walked through the halls until he found the three hedgehogs sitting together. The green one, who he assumed was Spike, was dressed in a green robe and seemed to be having a lively conversation with a female detective nearby. The conversation seemed one-sided at the moment. Sakura was the one with the drill-hair, he concluded, and she sported a bandage on one of her cheeks. A worried sigh escaped her lips. The last one gave him a smile and a wave.

"Miles, it's good to see you."

Green fur, quills going up on the left, and a long braid of hair. Had to be her...the girl from the future!

"It's good to see you as well, Lucille. We finally meet, eh?" he said with a grin.

"It seems so. You can call me Lucy."

"Lucy it is, then. Is everyone okay?"

"More or less. I think we were shaken up by that attack earlier, but we're all in one piece."

"Good. I heard about it on the two-way...a red robot?"

"Yes. I didn't get a good enough look at it, but it had oddly shaped claws, more like blades, even."

"Hm...it sounds like something I've seen before, but from where? I guess we can figure it out when we get to the workshop. I've already talked to the lieutenant on the way here, so you all should be good to go."

"You're in tight with the cops?" Sakura asked from her seat. "How exactly does that work out?"

"Well, they say that they could use mine and Sonic's help sometimes. You know, with the bigger things. As long as we don't cause trouble, it's cool."

"Huh."

"Anyways, let's get moving. I suspect that Sonic and Amy are taking care of Metal Sonic?"

"Yes," Lucy said. "We just need to figure out who else is at risk, and why. He kidnapped their sister earlier," she said while motioning towards Spike and Sakura, "and tried for this young gentleman just now."

"Seems to be politically motivated, or something," Sakura muttered. "Probably for our connection to the Pearsons."

"It couldn't be for that reason," Tails said.

"What? Why the heck not, huh?"

"Because that's small time for Eggman. He doesn't kidnap unless there's something other than money that he can get out of it. Bait for a trap, power source, situational advantage, things like that." Tails rubbed his chin. "I'm coming up with a theory, but we'll talk about it when we stop again."

"Then I suppose we should finally go," Sakura said. She dragged away Spike, who sported a black eye after his unsuccessful flirting attempts. Whoever this Miles kid was…he seemed to have a lot of answers for the situation. Very interesting, indeed.

Sakura reminded herself to keep an eye on him.

* * *

Metal Sonic flew over the rooftops that sat high above the city streets. Amy Rose had moved to lower lying roofs, while Sonic was in hot pursuit.

The pink hedgehog craned her neck upwards as she ran, watching out for any sudden movements that the robot would make. One soon came as Metal swooped down towards her position. She jumped and swung out with her hammer, only for the robot to parry the blow and aim his metal fingers for her throat.

Sonic screamed through the air and used a Sonic Boost at the last possible moment, a shell of wind pressure ramming into the robot and sending it off course. Amy landed on solid ground, breathing heavily. Her hands shook and a cold sweat formed on her brow.

"Ames?"

"Go," she said reflexively. "I'll catch up…just need some time."

"Yeah…do what you have to, Amy." An edge came to his voice. "I'll take care of business…"

Metal Sonic shot down the nearby street, and Sonic wasn't far behind. A cold fury lit up his green eyes; he had seen how close Amy had come to losing her life, and wasn't going to let it slide. No way.

"You're mine," he growled.

The robot stared back at him, red eyes giving away nothing. They tore through the Station Square traffic, weaving between the slower moving vehicles. Sonic hurdled over cars, jumping and flipping in the air while keeping track of Metal. He slid easily under a city bus as it crossed an intersection, maintaining his speed.

Metal Sonic started to fly sideways, lining up an attack. Sonic read him and threw himself right at the robot in a spin, cancelling out their momentum in the process. He rebounded and landed on top of a moving truck.

The robot shot forward in a jet of flame, and tore through one side of the truck with a punch. Sonic dropped down with a hard stomp, missing as the robot shot away quickly. He cancelled his momentum out with a Sonic Boost, rushing forward and squeezing through the increasing traffic.

Metal Sonic put his engines into overdrive, making sure to create a sizable gap between himself and his organic copy. He stopped just ahead of a wave of traffic, pulling back a fist as a city bus rolled forward.

"What is…oh…no! Dammit, _no_!"

Sonic grit his teeth, putting on a burst of speed to try to get to the robot. Metal threw a devastating punch into the bus' front grill, sending it skidding backwards. It slammed into other vehicles on the way, right towards Sonic.

The blue hedgehog rammed into the back of the bus, feeling it push him like he was nothing. He revved his legs as hard as he could, fighting against the enormous momentum created. His foot suddenly hit a pothole, and he lost his bearings as the bus continued to scream backwards. It hit a truck and flipped backwards over it, landing on its roof in the middle of a busy intersection. Shards of glass were everywhere as it tipped and rolled over onto its side.

"A pity. The hero, unable to save those who counted on him."

Sonic felt himself shake with anger, Metal's mocking pushing him over the edge. He didn't have to do something like that! It was just between _them_!

"You…bastard…"

"What will you do now? Will you chase me, or will you try to help your precious fans? Time is ticking."

"Sonic!"

Amy had already started to break open the ruined bus, pulling injured and unconscious people from it.

"I'll handle this, okay? Just go…go and get him! Make him pay for what he did!"

Sonic nodded solemnly, feeling a bit calmer.

"There's no need to worry...Amy Rose is here!"

"Right." He gave her a thumb up before chasing after the retreating Metal Sonic, who flew backwards with his arms crossed. He looked down at the hedgehog running on the city streets below.

"So, you're still ready to chase me?"

"No more games."

"You organics are fond of saying that."

Sonic said nothing more, racing towards the far side of the streets and up the side of a building. He ran along several of them, inching closer to the robot before shooting down in a blue streak. The two hedgehogs collided, Metal leaving a crater from his impact and bouncing back into the air, where he regained his bearings.

His opponent spun freely in the air, seemingly coming down to earth. Sonic unleashed a Sonic Boost in midair, ramming into Metal Sonic again and smashing him through the side of an office tower. One foot touched solid ground inside an office suite, and Sonic again called on his Boost, grabbing the robot with one hand and dragging it through the floor with no mercy. Dust and debris shot out the far side of the tower; glass shattered as the two hedgehogs broke through the windows and fell towards the streets again.

Metal broke free of Sonic's grip while they fell, but only for a moment before he was slugged hard, a piece of his frame chipping off from the impact. Sonic's right hand began to glow, a violent burst of wind twisting around his wrist.

"**Sonic Wind!**"

Sonic thrust his hand into Metal's chest as hard as he could. The robot shot down into the street, whirling ribbons of blue energy trailing it all the way. Asphalt tore apart as the metal body landed, a crater formed in its wake.

It wasn't over yet.

Metal rolled out of the way as a vicious stomp came for his head, more debris thrown up from Sonic's impact. He shot back towards the robot and spun like a buzz saw, forcing Metal to block with his hands. The metal surface started to chip away as Sonic spun faster and faster, aided by another Sonic Boost. Metal tossed him over his head and into the distance, but he stayed in his spinning position and rolled back towards the robot along the road. Sonic waited until the last moment before breaking out of his roll, rising upwards with a solid kick to the robot's face. He chased him through the air, grabbing onto his head and slamming it into a parked car, sparks flying from the impact.

Metal temporarily went offline, long enough for Sonic to throw him to the street and Spin Dash on top of his frame, slowly slicing through it. Metal sent a jolt of electricity through his frame, throwing off Sonic and leaving him dazed for a few seconds. The robot assessed its damage and activated its secondary power supply, planning to escape.

Sonic punched the robot into the car again, denting the side door inwards. He kneeled down and rammed his fist into the robot's head as fast and as hard as he could, ignoring the pain and the slashes in his gloves. Blood started to stain the cobalt steel as it crumpled from each successive blow, and Sonic was breathing loudly, snarls escaping his mouth.

A flash of red shot towards him, and he dodged a sharp metal claw as it aimed for his face. Metal Sonic was rolling down the street and righted himself in time, sparks dancing around his shell. He routed power to his thrusters and put them into overdrive, shooting into the skies as a blue blur.

"Sonic! Sonic, wait!"

Amy hugged him from behind, able to avoid being poked by his quills as she always did.

"Sonic…it's okay. It's alright, he's gone."

He still shook in her grip, the tension overwhelming him.

"I'm right here…you don't have to be upset anymore. Okay?" She held him tighter. "I don't like seeing you like this…"

"…"

"Please, just relax a little. For me…just for me, that's all I ask."

Knowing that he couldn't refuse her like this, he took deep breaths and started to calm himself down. The tension started to evaporate slowly.

"Thank you, Sonic."

"Yeah…"

She touched his injured hand gently, watching as he twitched a little. Amy tore off a piece of her red dress, wrapping it around his wound with care and kissing it tenderly when she was done.

"Thanks...Amy, I'm sorry. I…"

"I know," she said softly. "You were angry. It's okay, I understand."

"No…you don't. And I hope you never do," he said sadly. "The bus…what happened to the people?"

"Five people died…one child was in a coma when I got to them. Everyone else was treatable."

"Five people…dammit. I'll kill him…I'm going to-"

Amy squeezed him again, her head leaning against his chest.

"You're not yourself when you're angry. Don't let this…change you. Sonic, please…"

"I can't…it's not so easy."

She looked up into his eyes, shaking with so many emotions in each second that passed. Fear. Helplessness. Anger. Sorrow. Regret. So much that he wanted to just let out, but couldn't express…or didn't know how. He was never taught how to express himself, as she was taught, living in an orphanage. She knew how society operated, and he didn't. Neither did he care to know. But it was for the better in his case, wasn't it? Always bringing a smile or a witty remark in a dangerous situation.

But this anger…it was so surreal. So potent, like she could feel it in every word that he spoke.

She could see it after he had saved her earlier. It sent a shiver down her spine, those cold eyes. Looking to destroy someone or something…but for her. Only for her.

There was so much to say-

"Amy…"

His voice brought her back to reality.

"I…need to talk to you."

"Sonic, are you sure you're okay?"

He shook his head. "I'm not."

"Then let's-"

"That's why I want to do this now. I don't want to get the chance to suppress this…I don't want to keep anything from you. No matter what I say, what embarrassing things I spit out, you have to hear them. You have to. I…owe you at least that much. I owe you."

She nodded, taking her arms from around his waist slowly. A crowd had gathered, and so had the cops from the local precinct.

"Might as well get a move on."

"Where are we going?"

He took her hand. "You'll see when we get there."

A streak of blue shot down the street in the next moment, kicking up wind. By the time everyone's vision had cleared, Sonic and Amy were long gone.

* * *

Amy sat on a fallen tree in the Mystic Ruins, watching as Sonic paced around the clearing in a panic. He would turn to her, open his mouth, and then close it shut while wringing his hands. He scratched at his fur, shook his head, punched himself…kept trying to get the words out, but it was failing.

She looked on as he became more and more frustrated, muttering to himself with increasing volume. The same look of helplessness filled his eyes.

He kept pacing and stopping, pacing and stopping.

"Sonic?"

He turned towards her voice. She wore a smile, that same smile she always wore for him. Guilt started to tear at him even more.

"I want to promise you something. I promise that no matter what you say to me…I'll sit here and listen to it. All of it."

Everything? No, he had things he wanted to say and things he wanted to keep quiet. Needed to keep quiet. Right?

Wasn't that the case?

"Please, I know it hurts. And I know that you don't want to hurt me. I'm…kind of nervous about what you might say. But don't let that stop you. Seeing you like this is so painful, you know?"

She was slowly starting to tear up, and that bothered him even more. He screamed in frustration, holding his head.

"It all had to start somewhere, right? Right? Right! I was on this island, didn't know where I was, for a while even _who_ I was! Didn't have a name, had to get a name! Had to get something, do something! Run! Run, dammit! That's all I did, run until I knew that I could go fast, and faster, and faster, and…"

He went on, the words spilling from his mind freely, more than they had ever done so. He had talked to Tails about his journeys, about some of what he felt, but this…was different. He had no restraint. He couldn't stop; he didn't know how.

She was watching him, listening to everything. His hands went in all directions as he explained every trip, every emotion and feeling he had experienced. All of his thoughts, unfiltered. Recounting how he had met Eggman, Tails, Knuckles, herself, Shadow, Rouge…so many vivid memories that she could see sparkling in her own mind, as clear as day. He took deep breaths, shaking with a nervous excitement as he poured out his heart to her piece by piece.

He was earnest, even when it came to his darker thoughts. There was a moment of hesitation as he started to speak, but he knew that he couldn't stop. He couldn't just stop and clam up now…no matter how hurtful those words might have been.

Amy's eyes widened as he went through his frustrations with each of them, the people that he loved and hated. The things that really bothered him, his thoughts at certain points in time. Things that Sonic found hurtful, even disgusting to say. His emotions were etched onto his face as he spat out sentences, some of them laced with curse words that Amy didn't know existed until then. He had unusual names for people, unusual thoughts about them.

A few things made Amy blush in embarrassment, mostly for his sake. He started to relax more and more, becoming his old self while continuing with his thoughts. It was…so refreshing. So different. He didn't know why he hadn't done it sooner.

Heck, he didn't know why he had done it at all in the first place.

"Sonic…you don't have to say any more right now. This is a lot for one day, for one guy." Amy gave him a warm smile. "Most guys wouldn't ever do what you just did for me. You've always been so brave, Sonic."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Thank you so much…I…even if I never get my fairytale ending, I'm just happy knowing that you could trust me, that you could confide in me."

"I think…I was really scared, back there. You know, that I'd lose you, and you'd never get to know how I felt. All of that other stuff just spilled out, but…I guess I felt like you deserved to hear it." He sat down beside her. "Sheesh…look at me."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm just an awkward teenager. Trying to act like an adult all the time…I never was good at growing up."

"Sonic, look at me."

He did as she asked, noting the intense look in her eyes.

"You've lived on your own since you were young, you've seen so many horrible things that would have changed anyone else, and yet…you're still you. You haven't changed yourself. You raised a kid when you weren't that much older yourself. You save people all the time, save the planet from ancient monsters and Eggman, and you do it all for nothing. You're so protective of your friends, you put your life on the line every time you fight. And you've never asked for anything but a smile from all of us, no matter how bad things would get. You're kind, gentle, brave, and soulful…you're so many things to so many people.

No matter what anyone says, no matter what your flaws, or the problems you face…Sonic, you're a man that any woman would want by their side, even for a single moment. Anyone who ever tells you otherwise doesn't know anything about anything. That's why I love you. That's why…I'll always love you, no matter what."

"…"

He looked at the ground below, thinking deeply. Amy was so much to him, yet he was so confused…did he really feel the way that she did about him? Was it all fake? How would he know? How _could_ he know?

There was a way. Yes, there was a clear way. He would put away his pride for her sake, and he would take that road. He didn't know where it would lead, no. But it would lead somewhere.

He stood up, determination in his eyes. He was ready.

"Sonic?"

"Ames…can I ask you to do something?"

"Yeah…anything. I mean it."

He smirked. "Alright, then. How about this…I want you to go through your wardrobe, and find the best-looking dress you can. Then I want you to stop by Tails' workshop at about ten in the morning tomorrow."

"Uh…sure." She blinked. "Why…?"

"Tails said something about…the journey of a thousand miles starting with one step or something. I could cross a thousand miles pretty fast on my own, but this isn't about that. This journey's for two."

He gave her a thumb-up and his trademark grin. "And I wanna start it with you, Amy Rose."

She gasped and put her hands over her mouth, trying to suppress a squeal. Was he…asking her on a date? Were they really going to…?

"Not impressed, Ames?"

"You…you dummy! Of course I am!" She jumped up and squeezed him tightly, tears running down her face.

"Aw, man…"

"What?" She hurriedly pulled back. "What is it?"

"That's the second time I've made you cry in a week…"

"You…" She playfully hit him in the arm. "Don't be so dense, I'm happy right now. I feel closer to you than ever."

"Careful, then. I'm a bit claustrophobic."

She touched him on the nose with a wink. "I'll take care of that in good time…"

Sonic felt his face heat up as she walked on ahead. "Hey, now! You're not old enough to be thinking about those things!"

"Oh? Look who's talking," she called over her shoulder. "I can't believe you actually thought _that_ about Rouge."

"Aw, man…please, for the love of all that is good and holy, do_ not_ tell her I said that. Amy…Amy. Hey, did you hear what I said? Ames, I'm serious…"

He ran after her as the sun beamed down through the trees.


	33. Beat The Clock, Act 1

a/n: One more, here. Enjoy, and thanks for the support.

* * *

Tails listened to the two-way radio at his desk, having caught some of the reports earlier. Metal Sonic and Sonic had been fighting, and apparently, Metal sent a bus flying, killing five people in the process.

What worried him, though, were the eyewitness reports of Sonic. From what everyone was saying, he was acting as if he were insane, literally punching the robot until he bled, and then some. It took Amy to calm him down…and after that, they had disappeared.

Another report of the fast moving robot had also come in. It supposedly saved Metal Sonic…therefore Eggman was involved. Or a third party? Not likely…

"Hey, don't you have anything edible in here?"

Tails rolled his eyes. "There are lots of things in the fridge. Feel free to look around, Spike."

"What kind of coffee is this that you've got?"

"What's wrong with it?"

"It's cheap, bro."

"What are you talking about? That's premium stuff!" Tails yelled into the kitchen.

"How much you paid for it?"

"It was on sale. Five dollars."

"Cheeeeeeeeap."

The fox face palmed. He had gotten to know his three guests better as they rode in the new Cyclone (which came with an option for multiple passengers in car mode), and they were…interesting, to say the least. Lucy was quiet, and the most normal of the bunch. He had talked with her over the phone once, and she sounded like a nice person, which she was. Her words and mannerisms were quite gentle, though she had a fiery enthusiasm to rival Sonic's own.

Sakura…wasn't quite as pleasant. She was pushy, opinionated, and strove to have the last word. The whole ride over, she peppered Tails with questions, ranging from how much he knew about the whole incident to how many times he had collaborated with Eggman (which was a few more times than he'd liked). This led to her subtly accusing him of lying to everyone so that Eggman could capture them. But…despite all of that, he saw that she looked worried, a bit tired, and desperate for answers. The stress seemed to have gotten to her…Tails let her comments slide as a result.

Spike had no such excuse. He was an idiot, plain and simple. An elitist hipster attitude combined with general awkwardness and mismanagement of his supposed flirting 'skills' made him quite hard to put up with. Such as now, Tails noted. He yammered on about the 'tacky décor', the cheap things, the type of sugar in the kitchen…

"Ow!" Sakura socked him in the arm.

"Shut up and be grateful, you hipster jackass." Spike muttered something in her direction, earning a glare as he sipped on his coffee. "Miles…I'm sorry for how he's been acting."

"I…it's okay, Miss Bright."

She smiled. "Please, call me Sakura. I…want to apologize for how I was acting earlier as well. I didn't mean…to insult you, the way that I did. You've been fighting Doctor Eggman for a while now, and…"

"It's okay. You were tired and frustrated. It's hard to think about losing someone you love, isn't it?"

She nodded in agreement. "I could cook something for you all right now. There's not much else to do."

"Sakura, that's not necessary. You're one of the guests, after all…"

"No, I insist. It's the least I could do after you've been so kind to us. I'll make something quickly, okay?"

"Uh…sure. Everything's in the bottom cupboard…"

"Thank you."

Tails scratched his head. _Maybe I totally misjudged her_…

"She seems different, ne?" Lucy placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah…she's nice, actually. This is what she's really like, right?"

"It is."

"Losing a loved one…can really change people."

"It certainly can, Miles." The front door opened, revealing a certain blue hedgehog.

"Yo!"

"Sonic, you're back!" Tails' ears fell against his head as he remembered the reports. "Um…are you…?"

"You okay, lil' bro? Looks like something's got you down."

"I…heard about what happened in Station Square earlier."

Sonic nodded. "Yeah. That creep Metal punched a bus, and I tried to stop it, but I must have hit a pothole or somethin'…I lost my handle on it, and then…" He shook his head. "I wish that I could have done more…but…" A fresh determination shone in his eyes. "I'll get him next time, and I'll make him pay!"

"Sheesh! So-nic! You didn't have to run so fast!"

"What, now?" He gave the pink hedgehog a cheeky grin. "That's my jogging speed, Ames! You've gotta be on top of things to keep up with me!"

"Hmph. Well, at least at the rate we're going, I'll be on top, alright…" She gave him a wink, giggling as his face went red.

"Oi! You're terrible, you know that?"

"Look who's talking!"

Tails stood in confusion, noting the air of tension between Sonic and Amy had…disappeared. Like nothing. What exactly happened?

"You two seem to be hitting it off," he said with a smug smirk. "I guess she was right after all."

"Who, bud?" Sonic asked.

"I had a talk with Vanilla in the middle of last week. She said that you two would work things out, eventually. Guess you did, huh?"

"Yeah," he said with a slight blush. "I guess we-"

A loud coughing came from behind Tails. He groaned while Sonic scratched his head.

"Hey, hipster dude."

"Don't call me that," Spike shot back.

"Sorry, man…" _Touchy, much?_ "My name's Sonic, nice to meet you."

"Yeah, likewise," Spike said quickly, not bothering to make eye contact.

"O…kay. Tails? Did I do something wrong…?"

"Maybe he's still angry about his apartment," Amy commented.

"Well, you guys kind of trashed it, so…there's one reason," the green hedgehog said.

"Well, we kind of saved your life so…it evens out, no?" Sonic suggested.

"Sure, whatever helps you sleep at night."

"Must you be such a di-"

"Whoa, whoa…cool it down, Ames. I think he's just shaken up, you know? He's…not filtering himself right now."

"No," a voice called from the kitchen. "He's like this all the time."

"Seriously? Wow," Sonic said while pointing to Spike. "You're a dick, you know that?"

"He knows," Sakura called back.

"Am I supposed to be getting lessons in etiquette from the walking collection of 90s tropes?"

"Come again?" Sonic said, raising an eyebrow.

"Listen, I respect your work, saving the planet several times and all that, but…come on, man. Look at you. The color scheme, the lame one-liners, the whole 'attitude' thing," Spike said with air quotes, "the 'freedom' angle, the hairstyle-"

"Hold up, hold up…" Sonic waved his hands. "I did _not_ just hear that. You didn't insult the spikes. _Nobody_ insults the spikes. Did he just insult the spikes?"

"I think he insulted the spikes," Tails said.

"Oh, _hell_ no. Watch me beat the green out of this fool-"

"I think that will do for now," Lucy said as she stepped in. "Sonic, calm down. Miles, I know you're irritated with Spike, but inducing Death by Hedgehog isn't the way to go. Spike, _please_ stop being an ass. By the way, there's something important that you should know. Miles…do you happen to have any way of analyzing blood for DNA samples?"

"Yeah, I have a few machines set up in the basement. Why?"

Sakura balanced several plates of food on her arms as she walked in, setting them all neatly on the large table ahead. "Because something strange has come up. Between myself and Lucille, we both have the same blood."

Spike spit out his coffee.

"Are…you sure?" Amy asked. "What's leading you to that conclusion?"

"It's something unique about us both…our blood is black."

"Black? Why's it like that?"

"As far as I know, I was born this way," Sakura said.

"I…there's a gap in my memories, and some jumbled up stuff. I can't say exactly what it means. Silver never told me about all of what happened the day he found me. I remember lying in a hospital bed, but there are some distant memories, somehow before that time," Lucy said.

"You said that you had some powers, right?" Sonic asked. "Maybe…Sakura has them too. Or at least…the potential to use them."

"I can control light, and heat to some small extent. Light becomes my weapon…"

"But I don't have any of that. I'm just…normal, other than the black blood," Sakura said.

"Tails? You okay?"

"I'm thinking, Sonic…"

He was putting the pieces together. There were the tests to run, but from what he had heard, it started to make sense…

_Sakura and Lucy both have a unique characteristic, their black blood. Lucy uses light-based abilities, which implies Sakura can as well._

_Sakura having powers implies that there's the possibility that her siblings also have some kind of power in them. Metal Sonic targeted Spike. Luna was kidnapped by Metal Sonic. This implies Eggman is involved. Lending further credence to the theory is the fact that a red robot appeared twice, once to attack Spike and Sakura, another time to stop Sonic from destroying Metal Sonic. Has to be Eggman's, otherwise it wouldn't have shown up in the times and places that it did. Going over the specific situations rules out other possible parties._

_Lucy's from the future, and technology has to be more advanced there than it is in this time. Engineering could have given her powers, but this is far too coincidental to be random – it must have involved Sakura's DNA somehow. But that doesn't make sense…what's the connection?_

_Other than them being sponsored by the Pearsons…_

"Didn't you get science lessons from Ol' Saint Nick?" Spike asked his sister. "He'd probably be rolling around in his-"

Tails felt something click.

_Science. _

_Nick._

_Pearson._

"Doctor Nicholas Pearson. Formerly of Project Shadow, was contracted by G.U.N nearly fifty years ago to work on a top-secret, heavily classified project, said to be bigger than Project Shadow ever was. It never saw the light of day, according to the stories, but…it's ridiculous. I saw the files once…there wasn't a word on any of the pages! Even the _redactions_ were redacted!"

"Tails, what's that mean?" Sonic asked.

"I…I remember something. A room. Something…going into me," Lucy said softly. "I…there's not much else."

"Don't push yourself, Lucy. It'll come when it needs to," Amy replied.

"Something was done to Lucy…and it had to do with Sakura's genetic material. Why yours? I don't know…but Eggman must, if he has your sister. He knows something we don't."

"So he's got a lead on us? Darn," Sonic said.

"For now, at least. But I think he's as stumped as the rest of us…maybe he's hoping to get some information from Luna."

"We have to save her!" Sakura said frantically.

"Eggman's base is somewhere pretty clever this time. Remember the Egg Fleet, Sonic?"

"Who could forget? That was intense."

"A lot of the wreckage is piled up near some islands. I triangulated Eggman's co-ordinates using the data I've gathered, and some energy readings in the area, as well as seismic activity. Way too high to be normal."

"So we're locked in, bro?"

"You know it."

"Alright, then. We're gonna bust in there and get Luna out, quick as lightning! Although…we can't haul you guys into danger, too," he said, gesturing to Spike and Sakura.

"I'll stay and keep watch," Lucy said.

"I think I'm gonna sit out this one, too," Tails said. "I want to finish the blood work, so that maybe we can get the advantage on Eggman when it comes to information on this." A hum came from his radio just then.

"Hey, someone calling?" Sonic asked.

"Yeah. This is Tornado-1, over."

"Tails, it's me!"

"Vector? Long time no hear, what's up?"

"I need a favour from you and Sonic. Espio said that he's picked up a lead on a kidnapping."

"Wouldn't happen to be about a girl named Luna, would it?" Sonic chimed in.

"Scary accurate, there. So you know who's got her?"

"Eggman. Metal Sonic snatched her and tried to get a few other folks as well."

"Wha…? You got names?"

"Sakura Bright and Spike Tempest," Tails said.

"Sakura? Steven? Oh, please tell me that they're alright!"

Sonic arched an eyebrow at Spike as he winced. "Steven, huh?"

"Shut up."

"Vector, who's that?" Tails asked.

"Our new client-"

"Ellie," Sakura whispered.

"Ellen Pearson," Vector finished.

"Pearson? Whoa, isn't that…Tails, you were just talking about Doctor Pearson!" Amy said.

"Vector, what's she asking you to do?" Tails inquired.

"She wanted us to find out about some rumours relating to the work her grandfather did."

"They seem to be a _lot_ more than just rumours right now, Vector. Eggman's got Luna, and he was keen on getting Spike in his grasp, too."

"Cripes," Vector groaned. "And you can bet that G.U.N's on the prowl, too."

"Tails…"

He nodded to Sonic. "Yeah. You've gotta crank. _Now_."

"Vec, personnel!"

"Espio's out the door, Mighty's followin'."

"Mighty? Haven't seen him in a good while! Should be fun. Alright, I'm gonna rev up the Tornado. Tell 'em to meet me near Speed Highway, Vec!"

"Roger that!"

"Ames, you comin'?"

"I'll stay here and play defence…you never when Eggman's metal creeps might show up again."

"Gotcha. Stay safe, now."

"Yeah…you too, Sonic." She grabbed him as he was leaving. "Hey, make sure to wrap up that hand properly!"

"Oh, right! There's a first-aid kit in the Tornado, so I'll get to that. Thanks, Amy!" He tied the red piece of cloth to his wrist as he went.

_Should do for a bit of good luck, eh?_

He pounded a fist into his palm.

"Let's get 'em!"


	34. Beat The Clock, Act 2

a/n: Another chapter. Thanks for the support as always.

* * *

Tails filtered through the data he had collected from the blood samples. Spike had predictably refused, but Sakura had assured him that they were blood-related, so the results would reflect on him as well.

"Let's see, now…shouldn't take too long at this point." The program was designed to analyze the two samples and compare them, pointing out any differences that showed up in DNA, chemical balance, and the like. He bought the machine refurbished, but did the programming for its operation himself. Medical programming was seriously inefficient…why have ten machines for analysis when you could have one, maintained by simply using soap and water on the moving parts?

He shook his head. "I'll never understand society…"

"I warmed up your food again," Sakura called as she came down the stairs. "You should eat."

"I'm fine, thank you th-"

"Eat, you." She put the plate in front of him and gave him a fork. "It'll help you focus."

Tails sighed. She was being pushy again, but…it was in a nice way. He didn't mind it.

"Okay, I'll eat. I'm almost finished the analysis, though. The initial tests proved you guys right. Your blood is pretty much the same. But there are some minor differences, and we'll find out what exactly they are. Actually, you could tell there were some changes from the start."

"How so?"

He took a bite out of her lasagna. "You're pink, and she's not. If you have the same blood, why is that? It's supposed to be a unique thing, no? That means that something must have happened at the point where the DNA entered Lucy's system. Her genetic code is somewhat wonky, too. This stuff is great; did you seriously use what was in my kitchen?"

"I'm flattered, and I did. So, Miles...what does that mean for me? In terms of...you know."

"It means one of three things. That there is a condition in the way of your growth, and you can meet it, that there is a condition in the way of your growth, and you can meet it, but not on your own, or that there is a condition in the way of your growth, and you cannot meet it at all. I'm thinking it's the second one."

"Something to induce a change in my DNA...?"

Tails nodded. "Precisely. In Lucy's case, it was forced upon her. I can tell because of the deviations in her genetic structure; they're far too accurate to be normal mutations. As if someone was trying to perfectly replicate something else, down to the letter."

The machine chimed, and the data it compiled was uploaded to Tails' network. "Done. I'll let you guys look along with me upstairs, just need to do a few more things down here..."

"Alright. Don't take too long, now," Sakura said with a smile. Walking upstairs, she saw Amy playing an old string game with Lucy, while Spike lazed on the couch, watching television. The volume was way too loud, but the girls didn't seem to mind.

"That's...Cat's Cradle, isn't it?"

Amy looked up at the older hedgehog. "Yup! Lucy says that she remembers playing it with Silver all the time."

"Except he used telekinesis while we did. He said it was to hone his skills or something...must have worked, since he got a lot better after we met. We _did_ play it a lot," Lucy said. She made a new pattern with the string and handed it off to Amy, fingers meshing as they traded it.

"It shows," Amy said with a giggle. "You're super-good, Lucy."

"Aw, thanks. You're not bad yourself, Amy."

"I am _not_."

"You are too!"

"Ah...to be young again. I kind of miss those carefree days...though...sorry." She shook her head. "I didn't mean to be rude."

"Rude?" Lucy asked as she took back the string pattern. "What do you mean?"

"I mean...I'm complaining about going back to my youth when you guys...haven't had much of one, from what I can see. How old are you, Lucy?"

"I'm sixteen, last I checked. I met Silver when I was six or so. It's been...wow, ten years. Pretty neat. Amy, I didn't ask how old you were."

"Twelve! So four years younger than you, and three less than Sonic, but two more than Tails!"

Sakura blinked in confusion. "Eh? You're twelve? And Miles is ten? That would make Sonic...fifteen?"

"Just about," Amy said with a nod.

"All of the stuff you guys have done...you're just kids, now. And to think, you were even younger a few years back...how do you do it? Isn't there so much pressure?"

"Kind of," Amy started. "But it all seems normal now. You know, fighting Eggman, saving the world, almost dying...actually, it's kind of embarrassing..." Amy scratched the back of her head. "I've been a hostage more times than I can count! But I've done my part too, smashing killer robots. At times, it can be...therapeutic. You know?"

Sakura smiled nervously and nodded. "I guess I can understand a little." _Well, not really. I'd need a few screws loose first...therapeutic, seriously? These kids have had messed up childhoods. Then again..._

She looked on as Amy recounted her adventures in Station Square to Lucy, who hung on her every word.

_It could be that because they're doing this, so many of us have had childhoods to look forward to, and adulthood as well. We've been able to live our lives in relative peace because they put themselves in danger. And... I know that none of them have families of their own to go back to. They only have each other, and this life to live. But they're happy. _

Amy's laugh sounded over the drone of the television. It was so vivid and infectious, Sakura noted. That girl had been through things in her twelve years that most wouldn't go through in a lifetime, and yet…

"I was thinking…if you two could go through all of that, and still be as happy as you are, we have a lot to look forward to."

"Yeah, I know!" Amy said with a grin. "Knowing that we've made a difference is our own reward. You what I'd like to do? Save up a lot of money and like, really help the people who need it. I'm a pretty tough girl, so maybe I could help with construction and all that."

"Pretty noble of you. I've always thought of going into politics," Sakura said thoughtfully.

"You'd have my vote," Amy said. "You know, you always seem to get the weather right. Like, perfectly. How is that?"

Sakura shrugged. "Just a gift, I guess."

"It might be one of your abilities," Lucy said.

"Why? Can you do it?"

"No, I can't. But I'm a lesser version of you, anyways."

"Hey!" Sakura pouted. "Don't put yourself down like that!"

"As bad as this sounds, she's right on the money," Tails said as he walked into the room.

"What'd you find out, Tails?" Amy bounded over to him as he held a laptop in his hands.

"I'll tell you in a moment. For now, just have a seat." He turned off the television as he passed it.

The three ladies squished onto the couch along with Spike, who grunted in discomfort.

"Aw, cheer up," Amy said as she tapped him on the shoulder. "You're here with three gorgeous girls, don'cha know?"

"Whatever."

"Well, ignoring Mister Killjoy over here…tell us what you have, Doctor Prower!"

"Easy there," Tails said with a laugh, opening up the laptop and bringing up the data. "I'm not quite at that level yet. Okay, this is what I've found so far…"

* * *

Meanwhile, Sonic flew the Tornado towards the coordinates Tails had locked in for him. Espio was hanging by his feet on the underside of the left wing, while Mighty lounged in the back seat.

"Yeah, I've been travelling a lot," the armadillo continued, recanting his tales of the past few years. "Me and Ray have been taking in the sights."

"Pretty sweet. I go travelling a lot myself, just at high speed. Sometimes I stop a while, though."

"You know, it's better to take things slow sometimes," Mighty warned.

"Don't I know it."

"Oh? Something to tell me, Sonic?"

The hedgehog gave him a grin. "Not really. Don't worry; you'll see it when it happens."

"I'd better. We go way back, pal."

"Yup. Speaking of which, thanks for helping out."

"It's the least we could do, and besides, this is technically part of our investigation," Mighty said with a shrug. "What got you in so deep, though?"

"Well, there's this girl we know. Her name's Lucy and she's from the future."

"…Alright," Mighty said with a nod. "Stranger things have happened, though that's pretty wild. Go on."

"Turns out that she's connected with another girl we just got to know better, Sakura Bright."

"The weather lady?"

"That's the one. She's so spot on with her reports, she's been asked to go all over the place and like, give seven day forecasts for other cities. And she's dead-on, all the time, no matter what."

"I've heard of her. She's connected to our client, Ellen Pearson."

"They must go way back," Sonic said observantly. "Her, Spike, and their sister, Luna."

"Who we're going to rescue."

"Right. 'Cause Metal kidnapped her, and tried to get Spike, too. I think Egghead has a leg up on us…heh, Eggman with a leg up. Man, I kill myself." He peered over to his left. "Yo, Esp! You okay down there?"

"I'm fine," the chameleon said crisply. "Our welcoming committee has arrived."

"Already? We're still five miles out! I'm guessing we'll have to continue our conversation a bit later, then."

"Seems like it. Think he picked up the Tornado on his radar?" Mighty asked.

"Might be the case. You taking air to air, Espio? Or should I give 'em some razzle-dazzle?"

"Drop me off near the base. I'll find us an entrance while you clear the skies."

"Roger that. Keep your dial tuned to me," Sonic said. "Here we go."

Espio readied his shuriken, tossing them expertly at the hawk robots that aimed for the Tornado. They exploded after coming to a stop and losing altitude. Sonic put the plane into a dive, swooping low and pulling up above the waters. Wakes of water formed as the Tornado went speeding above the deep oceans.

"The wreckage of the fleet is placed well. I can make my way from there."

"Good luck, buddy."

"I wish you the same." Espio dropped from the plane's wing, landing perfectly on a scrapped hull. He jumped and skipped across the broken ship parts.

"Mighty? You coming along for the ride?"

Recalling the hedgehog's fondness of aerial stunts, he decided against going any further. "…I think I should get off, too. There's a flat piece of land over there, get me to it."

"Roger!" Sonic flew low as Mighty readied himself to jump.

"See you on the inside, Blue!"

"Yup!"

The armadillo jumped and went into a roll, stopping himself on the artificial island.

"This doesn't look like it should be here…"

He suddenly found himself surrounded by massive grey robots, each wielding large hammers. Eggman had sent out his old Heavy Egg Hammers, complete with reinforced armour.

"Boy, they've really rolled out the welcome mat, huh?"

One of the robots charged forward and brought its hammer down on Mighty's head. The armadillo raised one hand and stopped the weapon, a shockwave tearing apart the ground below.

"Although…these party games aren't all that fun!"

Shoving off the hammer, Mighty threw a punch into the robot's chest, severely denting it inward. The Egg Hammer stumbled backwards and fell to the ground.

"Seriously, 'whack a 'dillo' might be _your_ idea of fun, but it ain't mine." He shot towards another and jumped into the air, driving a knee into its armoured head. It crumpled inwards and below the chest, causing the machine to spark and sputter. Mighty landed and grabbed the robot by one arm, tossing it into another as it exploded.

"Come on, I'm just warming up…you started the fight, so let's finish it."

In the meantime, Sonic climbed higher into the skies, dodging the explosive robot birds that aimed for the Tornado. He felt the plane start to slow more and more as he angled it upwards, the steering shaking violently to warn him of a stall. He nudged the plane higher until it stopped in the air, rotating as he fell.

Sonic calmly turned off the plane's power as he screamed downwards.

"Power idle…ailerons neutral…"

The birds chased him downwards as the plane continued to fall.

"Rudder…against the yaw, I think. And elevators…up…"

Espio looked upwards, watching the plane fall. He was visibly worried, seeing as the plane's engines were off and Sonic was getting closer to the water.

"What…is he doing? If he doesn't pull up, then…"

Sonic gave himself a thumb-up. The plane was righted.

"Sweet. Let's go."

The propeller roared to life, and Sonic pulled up just above the waters, waves crashing as the plane just touched the surface. The robot birds slammed into the water behind him, throwing up cascades of water as they exploded. More came at Sonic from the front, a massive wave of mechanical birds.

"Oi, you don't quit, do you? Well…"

He pressed a button on the control panel, and a heavy machine gun appeared just in front of the windshield. Sonic put on the autopilot and grabbed hold of the handle, grinning madly.

"Come on. You wanna play rough, do ya? Okay…**say hello to my little friend!**"

Espio sighed in a mixture of relief and embarassment as he heard the hedgehog laughing like a maniac…the radio was still on in the cockpit, and transmitting quite clearly.

"Espio-"

"Mighty…do _not_ say a word. Just…carry on."

"If you say so," the armadillo replied while punching the head off of another robot. _Sounds like somebody's having a little too much fun up there…_

Eggman grumbled below ground as he watched the trio erase his forces.

"Troublesome…they're far enough away, but still too close for my liking. It's about time I sent out one of my aces…"

His fingers flew across his keyboard, preparing something special for the three heroes.

Sonic landed the Tornado in the midst of the trashed Egg Hammers. Mighty dusted off his hands as he approached.

"Had fun up there, I heard," Mighty quipped towards his blue friend.

"Yeah? Who told you?"

"Your radio was on."

"No kiddin'. Well…it was therapeutic, you know?"

"Therapeutic." Mighty gave him a look.

"Yeah. I'm kinda serious."

"Dude…you need to see a shrink. Like yesterday."

"What? It's a release!"

"_I've found a way in. Two hundred meters north,"_ Espio relayed.

"Roger that," Mighty replied. "Let's go. And…Sonic?"

"Yeah?"

"Try not to _release_ onto me while we're here, okay?" he said, stifling a laugh.

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Shut up. Let's find Espio."

Mighty smirked as he followed along. "Whatever you say, Grumpy."

"I will hurt you, dude."

"Yeah, whatever…"


	35. Beat The Clock, Act 3

a/n: Hopefully I didn't miss anything in terms of exposition at the moment. As always, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy.

* * *

"Guess some things never change, huh?"

Sonic jumped through the open doors from his position in the elevator shaft. Espio followed suit as Mighty held the door open.

"What do you mean by that?" the armadillo asked.

"I mean that's it always a trip going through Eggman's secret bases…that, and they're stupid easy to get into. You'd think that he'd have better security."

"Or maybe we're just that good."

Sonic thought on that for a moment. "Nah."

"Do we have an idea of where we're headed?" Espio asked.

"Not really. All these big, dumb, long corridors don't help, either. I'd just run through 'em until we found Luna, but…Eggman's gotten a lot more hostile in recent years. You know, trying to erase me from existence and all of that."

"Correct if I'm wrong," Mighty said as the trio started walking, "but was he _not_ trying to kill you every single time you've met?"

"Almost. There was that Nonaggression thing, and Metal Madness. Espio was there for that. Oh, and the ARK thing, with the Biolizard. That was interesting."

"Nonaggression?"

"Long story."

"We've probably got nothing but time."

"You would think so," Sonic said. "But I think we should split up."

He pointed to the branching corridors ahead. "We'll be able to cover more ground, and I wager that you guys will be a lot more subtle than I am. Don't need us all in the same place."

"Good point," Mighty said. "I'll take the right path over. That leaves you to go up the middle, Espio."

"Right."

"Alright, then. We'll keep the radios quiet, so I'll talk to you boys on the other side."

Espio nodded. "Be wary of threats, Sonic."

"Yeah," he replied with a serious look. "You guys watch your backs out there."

"We will," Mighty said. They bumped fists before Sonic took off, the halls vibrating as his feet pounded the floors.

"Espio...what was that all about?"

"I'm not sure I understand," the chameleon answered.

"Come on, you saw that look Sonic gave us. He's never like that! Not even when things get rough!"

"It is because you haven't seen him for a few years now...Sonic is not as he once was."

"What could have changed him? I mean, you heard about how he went nuts on Metal Sonic earlier today. I didn't poke him about it because what happened downtown must have been rough on him. In terms of psyche, at least. Did I miss something?"

"How much has he told you about his recent escapades?" Espio said, a brow raised.

"Not a lot. We haven't been exactly dishing on the latest scoops, what with me being on the other side of the planet."

"Sonic has come close to death on many different occasions. He has fought beings of mythological origin, experienced the effects of lycanthropy, and ran with his past self through his own history to restore time and space-"

"Whoa, what? Lycanthropy? He turned into a were..._hog_?"

"That is what I learned from Tails' accounts," Espio said flatly.

"And when was this time-space thing?"

"His birthday."

"I didn't get an invitation."

"We couldn't send you one."

Mighty frowned, scratching his head. "Right, right. Travelling."

"The point I am trying to make is that Eggman has indeed changed in his tactics. In turn, Sonic also changed. He can hide his thoughts better than anyone else, with a smile or a joke in troubling times. But he has fears, as we all do."

"He sure was good at hiding them, then."

"As I said…things have changed between Sonic and the Doctor. They have been pushing each other to their limits and beyond in the past few years."

"You think it'll come to a head this time?"

Espio shook his head, starting down the long corridor. "It won't be any time soon, if things continue down this path."

"Guess you're right," Mighty replied quietly. He sighed and started down his own path.

* * *

"You are not the experiment," Eggman said.

"…"

Luna was now confused. It had been at least a day since she had to sit in her cell, listening to Eggman ramble on and having needles prick her for blood. So it turned out that she wasn't the experiment. Then what was she doing here?

"But the experiment is you."

The girl frowned. He needed to stop being so cryptic.

"You don't quite understand. Let me explain it to you, then. I made a mistake – you _are_ Tsukuyomi, but not the _first_ Tsukuyomi. However, you are the first one that has been completely compatible with the genetic code that was implanted into all of the subjects. Funny, isn't it? You, the weakest of all your incarnations are the only one alive. The same goes for your siblings."

"…"

"Implanted into your DNA is a special sequence, a sequence that requires a very specific code to unlock. I could force it open, but your powers would likely be…diluted, simply put. You are simply the framework for the rest of the project – you could have been anyone, from anywhere, as long as you were compatible with the procedure. Clearly, you were. There is a key that will allow me to finally awaken you, and unlock your true potential. Whoever is in possession of this 'key' controls you and your siblings' fates. There is no side effect, and no chance that you could rebel against me if I manage to awaken you. The Time Eater worked well enough, but…certain _obstacles_ got in my way." The doctor frowned at the memory.

_Sonic must have kicked his behind again_, Luna thought with a smile.

"What's so funny?"

"…"

"Not much of a talker, are you?"

Luna shook her head. Eggman shrugged.

"I don't mind it. Silence is better than what I have to put up with these days…"

"Tell me about it!" Cubot shouted from a door as it opened. Eggman groaned.

"What do you _want_?"

"Just came to bring our favourite little visitor some lunch!" the cubic robot said cheerfully, carrying a tray of food. "Oh, you know I was wondering what she liked, we had some sandwiches in the kitchen, all types of bread, you know! Rye, pumpernickel, sourdough, whole wheat, oh! Girl, you should get a load of my three-cheese blend! Not much of a talker, huh?"

Luna shook her head.

"That's okay, I love to talk! I can talk enough for the both of us! In fact, I like to talk so much, I talk to myself! Sometimes I talk when nobody's listening!"

The hedgehog nodded politely as Cubot continued. Eggman facepalmed and made his way to the kitchen. A snack would be nice right about now…

He noticed something flashing on the large monitor he had set up. Switching to the relevant window, he caught sight of a blue blur passing by the cameras.

_He's getting close…no matter._ _I'm well prepared for that blue runt this time. He has the luxury of speed…_

A malicious smile crossed the scientist's face.

_But his precious friends **won't.**_

* * *

"Do you know why this was done to us?"

Tails shook his head. He had relayed much of the information that Eggman had also happened upon to the group, telling them of their situations.

"Doctor Pearson must have had a reason," Sakura said, still in shock. "I mean…why us?"

"It was a matter of chance. You guys happened to be compatible with the 'codes' he put in place. If they were tampered with, or forced into activation, they likely wouldn't work. Lucy's abilities developing was a fluke, in hindsight…it was likely that she would have died if they went all the way, unable to even call upon the extra abilities that she had. Some kind of concentration was used on her…an estimation of the formula that was used on Sakura and the others, as well as her DNA. There were several other performance-enhancing ingredients…kind of like steroids, but for very special purposes such as inducing the appearance of abnormal abilites. Silver saved her life and gave her access to her powers at the same time."

"What's the extent of our…powers?"

"Can't really say. I'd need more data on this whole project. Research, notes, files…at least _something_. Right now, we're still stuck, even though we've found out a lot. You're not the first ones, but you're also the last, and supposedly the 'perfect' ones. Eggman's probably looking for the 'key' to unlock your potential, but I don't think even he knows how it all works."

"Ellie might know," Sakura said. "She was incredibly close to her grandfather, before he passed on."

"She does have the Chaotix on the case," Amy pointed out. "They'll find something."

"And so will G.U.N, probably," Tails said. "I have a feeling that they want a piece of the action, too. Eggman's not going to let them harm his shot at world domination, though…he'll be pretty guarded this time. I hope Sonic and the others will be okay."

The front door suddenly burst off of it's hinges, and a streak of blue shot towards Sakura. Amy summoned her hammer and slammed it into her target, sending it crashing through the far wall and through to the outside. Sakura held a hand over her heart, feeling it pound through her chest.

"T-thanks, Amy…"

She winked. "Don't mention it! That creep, Metal Sonic! Back for more, are you?" Amy stomped outside, intending to finish the job. She frowned as she saw the robot's state. "Look at you. Not even repaired from the beating that Sonic gave you earlier…well, serves you right!"

Tails was visibly confused. Metal Sonic…after that kind of damage, why would Eggman send him back out? He wasn't even moving anymore.

Something was not right.

"Miles?"

He looked over at Lucy. "You feel it too, huh? Smells like an ambush to me…"

"Yes, but from where?"

"Good question…"

Volts of electricity rolled over Metal Sonic's frame, making Amy's quills stand on end briefly. She held the robot by its neck, smashing it into the ground repeatedly.

"That's for those people on the bus! I'll tear you apart!"

Sakura winced as something jolted her wrist. Her watch had suddenly stopped working…

"Hey, what the hell?" Spike knocked on his smart-phone with a knuckle. "It was working just fine a-OW!"

He dropped it as it threw up a spark of electricity.

"Dammit!"

_No…that wouldn't…it couldn't be._

Lucy's eyes widened in horror. She knew this feeling, these signs…

"Amy! **Get away from him, now!**"

"What?"

Tails made the connection. "It's a trap! **EMP!**"

Metal went offline, a massive surge of electromagnetic energy exploding from his body. Every appliance and piece of electrical equipment in the workshop was fried, overloads of energy burning them inside-out. Lucy ripped the watch from Sakura's wrist as she yelled out, and Tails could only stand in place, shell-shocked as the pulse washed over him and everything else.

Amy let go of Metal Sonic, her face twisting in agony as she fell to her knees. She clutched her chest, gasping furiously for air.

"What's happened to her?" Sakura asked, tears in her eyes.

"Ventricular fibrillations…need to get her heart back on track," Tails said quickly. He pressed a button on one of his cufflinks, and it extended into his custom energy cannon. It sparked with electricity as he placed it against Amy's chest. "If she goes into cardiac arrest, she's done for. This one's shockable…"

He read over the data on the small window that flipped up in front of him. "Here it comes. Stay with me, Amy."

She grasped his arm desperately, nodding as best as she could.

"Good girl…**clear!**"

Her body jolted slightly at the shock. Tails growled and tried again. "**Clear!**" She lurched again, some colour returning to her face.

"Okay, good! Lie down there, Amy. It'll be okay, I promise."

Amy managed to smile up at him, but he fell over onto her as something knocked him in the back on the head.

"T-Tails…?"

"Goddammit! Let me go!" Spike hollered.

"No!" Sakura screamed. She raced over to Lucy, who fell to one knee. Blood seeped through her fingers as she held her hand over a cut to her side.

"It…took Spike…damn, I'm sorry…"

"Oh, God…what is this? What's going on? I…I don't know what to…"

"What the hell went on here…?"

Sakura turned to the new voice, tears falling from her eyes. "You…you're…"

Amy managed to sit up, wincing in pain. "Shadow…you're here."

"I was following a lead…exactly what happened?" he asked.

"Ugh…there was...an ambush…" Tails rubbed his head as he picked himself up. "Metal Sonic used himself as an EMP bomb…"

"An EMP?"

"Yeah. And then something else came and…Lucy!" He ran over to her. "What…happened to you?"

"That red robot…it got me, and took off with Spike. Only had enough room for one, I…guess…"

"Let's get everyone inside. We'll start to clean up this mess once Rouge gets here," Shadow said.

"Wait."

Shadow looked over at Tails. "What is it now?"

"Metal Sonic…I can't believe this."

Other than a few pieces of metal…the robot was suddenly and inexplicably gone.

"Son of a bitch," Shadow cursed. "Do you have a landline?"

"Yeah, a couple of them."

"Good. This isn't going to be pretty."

* * *

Sonic ran faster and faster through the corridors, intending to find Eggman before he could do any more damage.

_"I know you're in here, hedgehog."_

He ignored the doctor and sped up.

_"And I know that you have a friend or two in here. I can see one of them now…I think I'll go ahead and test his mettle. He did pretty well against my Egg Hammers, but wait until he gets a load of this…"_

"Mighty," Sonic called over the radio. "Watch yourself, you hear me?"

"Copy that, dude."

_"You remember my Prototype-1, do you?"_

Sonic grit his teeth as he slowed to a stop. What was that Eggman planning?

_"I figured that since you beat one, I'd give your pal a special offer: how does two bonus machines sound?"_

"Son of a…Mighty! Whatever you do, do _not_ stop moving! You hear me?"

The armadillo came to a large room filled with building materials. Steel beams were stacked on top of one another as he passed.

"Hey, chill out," the armadillo said. "If you beat one, how hard could it be?"

He found out as he saw the machines hovering in the air ahead. On each of them were a drill for one arm and revolving cannon for the other. Two of the drills shot forward in jets of flame, forcing him to run for dear life as they pierced the spot where he once stood. The third one charged him straight on, and he barely dodged to one side, hopping onto a stack of steel beams nearby. The two that had fired the drills simply produced new ones, brandishing them fiercely.

"Okay…harder than I ever thought."

He gulped.

"Well…I think I'm screwed, but it's been a good run, right."

The machines circled and charged him. Mighty bumped his fists together, a surge of red energy running through them. He exhaled sharply, taking a stance.

"Alright…**come and get some!**"


	36. Beat The Clock, Act 4

a/n: More talking heads, yeah! Anyways, enjoy and thanks for all the support.

* * *

"Huh…did I miss a party in here?"

Rouge stepped over the broken front door of Tails' workshop, eyeing the weary occupants as she made her way inside. She waved to Shadow, who gave her a curt nod before resuming his conversation with the workshop's owner.

"Everything's gone, huh?"

"Everything electronic…which was most of my things in here. I can check my storage and see if I have anything that can keep up with the latest tech. It's not likely, though."

"Why would the Doctor attack you and these civilians?"

"Because they're not normal civilians."

"Not normal civilians?" Rouge asked. "Were they foreigners?"

"No," Tails replied while shaking his head. "I found out something about them that was purposely kept secret. Sakura here," he said while gesturing to the older of the pink hedgehogs, "and her siblings were unknowingly made part of a secret government experiment, led by-"

"Doctor Nicholas Pearson," Rouge finished. Shadow stared at her blankly.

"How much do you know?"

"Not much. I…can't really say how I came across that information."

The black hedgehog nodded in understanding. "But it's safe to say that you knew less than the kid did."

"Right."

"Eggman's got a jump on all of us. He must have known where we were and that Sonic would likely be away. That red robot got Spike…now we have someone else to rescue," Tails said with a sigh.

"We haven't got much in the way of personnel," Shadow muttered. Lucy was on the nearby couch, enduring the sting of her wounds as Sakura stitched them up. Amy looked like she had been through a blender, exhausted and noticeably unfocused as she lay back in one of the recliners.

"And that also brings up the question of what we're doing first," Tails pointed out. "It feels like a bad idea to try and save Spike right now. We can probably figure where he's headed, but half of us are unable to fight in any suitable context. The next best option is data gathering."

]"How much have you found out?" Shadow asked.

"I know that Sakura, Spike, and Luna each have latent abilities that require a DNA 'key' to unlock. That's the gist of it. If we can find out what this 'key' is, we can protect it from Eggman…or destroy it before he gets the chance to use it on any of those three."

"Latent abilities…?"

"How did you get all of that, kiddo?" Rouge asked, curious.

"I ran some blood tests on Sakura and Lucy."

"Lucy? You mean that girl over there," Shadow said.

"Yeah…hey, wait. Before you-"

Shadow walked off before Tails could finish, nearing the two ladies. Sakura felt Lucy start to tremble and tense up, noticing the shadow of their visitor as it neared.

"Agent Shadow? Do you have something to ask of us?"

"I do. A few things, actually."

"Okay. I'm just about finished with our friend, here…" She completed the makeshift sutures and patted Lucy's hand reassuringly. "All done. Nothing to worry about, okay?" She received a slow nod in return.

"Good. Now, what was it that you wanted to ask us?"

Shadow noted that the woman with the pink drill hair was trying to suppress her feelings now, perhaps thinking that she would be putting too much of a burden on the others otherwise. The younger girl was acting…rather strangely. She wasn't looking at him and was extremely tense for some reason…

"Are you alright?"

"Perfectly fine," Lucy said in a strained voice.

"You seem to be from another place," Shadow said. "How long have you been in contact with these people?"

"About a week…and I just…met Sakura today."

"Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine," she said quickly. "Are…there any more questions?"

"…You seem slightly dodgy," he said, his eyes narrowing. "Maybe you have something to hide?"

"I…I-I don't. I'm not hiding a-anything."

"Shadow, just leave her alone," Amy said wearily. "She hasn't done anything wrong."

"You would think that, wouldn't you? Are you trying to cover for her, now?"

"If you would just shut up and listen for a moment…"

He ignored Amy and turned back to Lucy, who was squishing herself on one side of the couch. Her head was turned away from the black hedgehog as he stared her down.

"Tell me what you know about this."

"I only know what everyone else does…"

"You're lying. You're hiding something," he said, stepping closer to her.

"I'm n-not…just don't c-come any closer."

"Are you afraid of me? You have no reason to be," he said with a dismissive tone. "Unless you have something dangerous to hide."

"S-Stay…away. Please, just l-leave me alone."

"What the hell is your-"

Lucy jumped up, drawing her knife and holding it inches from Shadow's face. He didn't flinch as the blade trembled in his sight, Rouge having already drawn her pistol and settling into firing position.

"Drop the knife, babe. Nobody gets hurt that way."

"I…I'm sorry. I'm s-s-sorry…I shouldn't be like t-this…"

"Lucy…" Amy held her tightly as she cried, her arm getting heavy and dropping the knife to the floor.

"What was that all about?" Rouge asked, holstering her weapon. "Is she one of the subjects as well?"

"Yes…but in a different way. That's not the reason she lashed out, though," Tails replied.

"Then why?" Shadow asked, annoyed. "What reason would anyone have to suddenly pull a knife on someone else?"

"I was trying to explain it before you started interrogating her, Shadow. You might find this hard to believe, but Lucy's from the future, two hundred years from now. A future that the Shadow of _her_ time ruined and terrorized."

"…"

"You're not the same as him, and I know she understands that. But…wouldn't you think that it would be hard, facing the same guy who destroyed almost everything you ever knew and loved? Even if he was a good guy now?"

"…You've made your point, kid."

"Hopefully," Tails said with another sigh. "Anyways…Lucy's from the future, and she was also experimented on with much of the same material that is inside those three siblings. She effectively has a diminished version of Sakura's abilities, since her 'transformation' was forced and incomplete."

"From the future, huh?"

"Yes. And…apparently the reason why you lost it was because…" Tails nodded his head towards Rouge, who was busy making a call. "She died protecting you in that timeline."

"Protecting me…from what?"

"A double-cross inside G.U.N."

"Do you think that this will repeat itself?"

"We're three years away from the alien invasion, and it happens during that time. Lucy's here to change the future, so that it doesn't end up like hers. So that none of us have to suffer the same fates as our other selves."

"…"

Shadow walked back towards Lucy, extending his hand.

"I'm sorry for pressuring you. I didn't know the story-"

He stopped as she took his hand with both of hers.

"…You're so warm. I…should have known better. I just saw you and thought…you were the same as him. But your eyes are so gentle…"

"Tch!" Shadow turned his head away.

"S-sorry. I just…I wanted to help you m-most of all, when I came to this time. Because even though I'm so afraid…I-I want you to be happy too. Nobody should be as sad as you were, Shadow. Your future s-should be bright, like all of ours are."

"I get it."

She nodded, letting go of his hand as she sat down again.

"Told you I wasn't the only one who noticed~" Rouge chimed.

"Shut up."

"You're just a big softie~"

"I said to shut up…"

"Sheesh, look at those two," Amy said, shaking her head. "They should just make out already, or something. Anyways…Tails! What're we gonna do now?"

"_We_ are going to form some sort of game plan, which will be implemented without _you_ doing anything," Tails said bluntly.

"What? That's not fair, I want to help out! I'm plenty capable," Amy whined.

"You nearly got fried by that EMP blast from Metal Sonic, Amy. You're in no kind of shape to do anything, neither is Lucy until those stitches can come out. Both of you heal pretty fast, but not _that_ fast. Even Sonic would have trouble for a while after being jolted like that…"

"How long am I stuck like this, then?"

"At least a day until I can check you out. Your body needs time to-"

"A _day_? That's twenty-four whole hours, Tails!"

"And I'll be stuck with you, along with Lucy."

"And me?" Sakura asked.

"I think it would be best if you stayed with Shadow and Rouge. I'm…not in the best position to play defence, and I want to see what I can dig up from my network. I think I'm trapped here. The Tornado ACE was in the garage, but EMP waves don't have any regard for structures...it was loading flight data and got the worst of it. I could finish the alpha build of the Tornado R-35, but that would take a week at the least."

"He's right," Shadow added. "You're extremely vulnerable at this point, and if Eggman gets you…he might figure out the pieces to this puzzle before we can stop him. It would be in the best interests of national security to keep you inside the G.U.N base. The Doctor wouldn't dare try to come for you there."

"And what if he _is_ so bold? What then?" Rouge asked.

"Then it means we have a serious problem, and that Sonic is possibly running to his death."

"And you expect me to sit here and _rest_?" Amy screamed as she stood up. "You have got to be _kidding_ me!"

"There's nothing you can do in _your_ condition other than run nowhere very fast, have your heart give out, and then roll over and die in a ditch somewhere. Sit down and shut up, Rose."

She muttered something under her breath as she fell back to her seat, glaring over at Shadow.

"Angry because I'm right?"

Amy blew a raspberry at him and pouted.

"Yeah, thought so," he said while rolling his eyes. "I suppose we should start moving out. You were attacked by Metal Sonic and Sakura Bright is nothing but an ordinary citizen. Remember that much. G.U.N will be investigating this incident closely - a large-scale electromagnetic pulse will not go unnoticed by them, especially with the spike in terrorist activities in the past few years. It may be viewed as an attack on the Federation."

"So...why would we be withholding information, again? We could still get locked up under the 'Stars and Stripes Act' you know," Tails pointed out.

"They won't have a reason to detain you if you don't screw up," Shadow said. "So don't screw up."

"Easy for you to say, Mister Super Soldier," Amy shot back. "You won't be the one getting grilled for hours on end...again."

Shadow's brow went up. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Your military buddies locked me in a room for like, a day and a half a few months ago."

"What for?"

"I don't know, but a lot of the questions happened to be about Sonic."

Shadow nodded and made a mental note of it. He'd be able to get access to the tapes easily enough...assuming there _were_ tapes. Things were a lot harder otherwise. Not impossible, but just difficult.

He didn't like difficulty unless it was of his own choosing.

"I'll make sure to look into it. Either they think you're planning a _jihad_ at the mall over markdowns, or something suspicious is going on." He smirked. "I wouldn't put the first one past you, though."

"Jerk."

"I'll take that as a compliment. Are we ready to go, Miss Bright?"

"Yes, I am. Thank you, Agent Shadow. You as well, Agent Rouge."

"Yeah, no biggie," she said with a hand wave. "Oh, kiddo. I figure I can call in a favour and have one of the tech labs opened up in a few hours."

"Seriously?" Tails asked.

"Yup. I can't make any promises, but it'd be all yours for as long as you needed it.

"That'd be awesome if you could do that for me."

Rouge gave him a wink. "Anytime, sugar."

"If you're done socializing, let's go," Shadow said. "We'll see you all later."

"Yeah, see you," Tails said. Amy and Lucy gave them a wave as they left.

"Anybody need anything?"

"I'll be fine for now," Lucy said timidly.

"Same here," Amy replied.

"Okay. I'll be in the garage trying to find some spare parts for the Tornado ACE…I think it's just a certain part of the electronics that's fried, so I might be able to fix it. I'd have to leave for the R-35 if I want to build…"

"What's that all about?" Amy asked.

"Oh, you'll see. It was actually Sonic's idea for the specs…"

"Does it have to do with his racing hobby?"

"Yeah, actually. He told you?"

Amy shrugged. "He told me a lot of things, Tails."

"Hm. I see. Well…see you later, then."

Hearing no response, Tails noticed that both girls were asleep. _Been a long day…they really need the rest. I guess I do, too…but there's no time for it right now._

* * *

"Let's see what I can get done…"

Mighty swiftly dodged a spinning drill as it slammed into the pile of steel beams behind him. He launched a straight punch into the Egg Dragoon's glowing midsection, stunning it temporarily. Jumping into the air, he took both hands and slammed them into the empty cockpit, cracking the glass dome before the machine retreated.

He rolled to one side, avoiding a storm of gunfire as he jumped behind another set of I-shaped beams. The armadillo tried to ignore the pain from his stinging left arm, after one of the electric arms of the machines had smacked it.

"Can't catch much of a break, can I?"

He eyed the steel beams that he hid behind, thinking of how he could use them effectively.

_Best thing is to throw one of 'em and try to skewer at least one of these 'bots. Problem is…I'm at a bit of a range disadvantage right now. If it weren't for that, I could finish off these jokers pretty…wait._

He peeked from his cover, memorizing the robots' positions. There was a chance he could pull something off from where he was.

"Might as well, huh?"

Mighty breathed in before stomping as hard as he could, making the floor and walls around him ripple from the impact. The I-beams jumped into the air for a few seconds, which was more than enough time. Moving forward in a blur, Mighty punched the ends of the beams as hard he could, sending them flying like missiles towards the Dragoons as they fired. One of them was run through with a piece of flying steel, electricity flooding its body before it exploded into scrap. Another had its arm and part of its side torn away, but it instead rushed towards the armadillo as he punched the last of the beams.

"Come on!"

The flashing green lights on its front suddenly changed to a bright red. Mighty pulled back a fist and smashed the machine's top half apart. The Dragoon self-destructed, throwing Mighty backwards in a trail of flame before he slammed into the far wall.

"…Cheap…trick…"

"_Mighty? How you doing so far?"_

He managed a weak chuckle. "It's…been a real blast…I think I'm done for, Blue."

"_Like hell you are!"_

"Man…" The armadillo struggled to his feet, feeling the shrapnel puncturing his skin. His insides felt like soup, and he guessed that he could only hear Sonic because the communicator was so close and he was so loud…his hearing was messed up otherwise.

"I'm not doing…good at all…"

"_Hang in there! You'll make it out!"_

"Hope you're right...ah, crap. Need to get ready."

Mighty tried his best to stand his ground, wobbling from side to side as he put his fists up. The machine circled around him in a blur of speed, the roar of its jets deafening.

"I have to focus…gotta focus. Stay on top of things, Mighty. Come on, you can do this," he said to himself. "Come on! Get in the game! You're ready!"

The Prototype-1 dove at him, nearly catching him off guard with its electrified drill. The armadillo dodged quickly, only to be smacked in the head with the weapon, sending him into a tumble across the floor. He felt his body freeze up as electricity ran through it.

"Ah…dammit! This is no good…gotta get up. Move, body! Come on!"

The Dragoon sniped him from afar with an energy bullet, his body sliding across the cold floor as he lost his strength. More shots peppered him as he curled up to try and limit the damage he was taking.

"_Mighty! Talk to me, man!"_

Sonic could only hear his friend's cries of pain over the intercom…Eggman had set it up to torment him.

"_It seems that your friend isn't so __**Mighty**__ anymore, is he?"_

The hedgehog felt his teeth grind together as he heard Eggman's laugh come from every direction. This was…this was…

"Unforgivable…" he growled. "I'll wipe that smug look from your face, Eggman. First Amy, and now Mighty…" He turned to the empty corridor. "**Eggman!** Back off and let him go! Your beef is with **me!**"

"_You seem a bit confused, Sonic. I'm afraid that your friends are all a part of this, just as much as you are. Speaking of them…"_

Sonic felt himself go rigid.

"_I wonder how your fox friend is doing…with all of his equipment now useless. Electromagnetic pulses are quite troublesome, which is why I've developed several countermeasures for them myself. Of course, it's not much help if the attack is so…sudden."_

"What did you do, Eggman…?"

"_I noticed one of your new friends was in quite a bit of discomfort when we left her. I wouldn't think that being stabbed was a pleasant experience…"_

"You son of a bitch…" _Lucy…she'd better be okay. She has to be._

"_And I can't imagine what having several thousand volts of electricity running through you is pleasant, either. Your little girlfriend didn't observe the properties of electricity and paid the price."_

"Amy…you…hurt Amy? You actually…actually hurt my friends. You…what did you…"

"_Sorry to say, but it looked as if she had a bit of trouble breathing…"_

"…"

"_And to think…all of this could have been prevented-"_

Sonic couldn't hear anything else the doctor was saying. So many thoughts, so many emotions were flooding his head, and he didn't know what to do, what to think…it couldn't be possible. Tails and Sakura and even Spike…Lucy…and…Amy…

She couldn't be…she couldn't be gone!

"I…didn't even…get a chance…"

He felt himself trembling, his hands clenching tighter and tighter. Hot tears slid from his face and to the floor.

"Amy…you…I didn't give you enough time…goddammit…**damn it all to hell!**"

Espio felt the floors beneath him shake in short bursts, halfway across the base. There was a disturbance in the flow of energy…a violent disturbance, and it felt familiar.

"Sonic…"

Something was going wrong, very quickly. He heard the intercoms screech before overloading with power, exploding into sparks down the entire corridor. The walls were rumbling, metal creaking from some sort of strain.

"Eggman must have done something…this anger; I've never felt this kind of anger before. Especially not from him."

The chameleon heard a scream rip through the corridors, and it confirmed his fears. A blast of wind tore past him.

"This kind of power, too? What exactly…is up with him?"

Sonic snarled viciously, his teeth bared as black vapour steadily billowed off of his body. His breathing was ragged, and his green eyes had nearly shifted to black. The walls around him had deep markings on them, nearly slashed apart in every direction.

"**I'll…kill you…I will kill you…for what you did…**"

Eggman frowned, stepping away from his monitor as it shook violently. Sonic raised his head, staring straight into the camera before it exploded, taking Eggman's screen with it.

_It seems to be time…to end this, once and for all._

Eggman sat in his chair and pressed a button, crossing his arms as he travelled down a long and hollow duct.

"Come and face me if you dare, you _wretched_ hedgehog. Your road ends here."

A rumble rose from Sonic's throat before he took off down the corridor, the walls peeling apart as a sonic boom trailed him.


	37. Beat The Clock, Act 5

a/n: Another long chapter ahead. I felt that I couldn't simply split it up (again), so here we are. 300% more talking heads!

* * *

Thanks for the support, and enjoy.

Mighty heard everything.

The communicator on his wrist was blasting sound at him for a solid minute, Sonic's frustration and rage evident in each word. Eggman had pushed him over the edge.

Now, the armadillo was less afraid of his situation, and more fearful of what Sonic would become if he weren't stopped. He rolled onto his stomach, going into a spin on the ground as the energy bullets continued to punish him. Letting loose a Spin Dash, Mighty zipped around the area before slamming into the Dragoon with a head butt, sending it backwards along the ground.

He ran forward on unsteady legs as the machine recovered, throwing a punch to its exposed midsection. The Dragoon reeled and froze up for a moment, just long enough for Mighty to grab a steel beam and swing it into his target. The robot fired off its thrusters to right itself in the air, stopping and charging back towards Mighty. The armadillo swung the I-beam again in retaliation, but the Dragoon fired up its drill and tried to bore through it.

The weapon was stuck, pulsing with electricity that surged down it and into the ailing Mighty's body. He fought through the pain and slammed the robot into the ground as he let go of the steel beam. Mighty rushed the robot once more, getting inside the reach of its weapons. He clenched his right hand tightly, red wisps of energy surging around it as he pulled back for an attack.

"One shot, then…**Knuckle Cannon!**"

He hit the machine as hard as he could, sending it through the air like a rocket before it slammed into the far wall, denting it inwards. It fell in a heap towards the ground, going offline as its systems shorted out. Mighty fell on his back to the ground, gulping in as much air as he could.

It hadn't been a long fight, but it had been the toughest that he had in a long, long while.

"Sonic…shoot. I should get moving…"

He groaned as he tried to get up, his body fighting him every step of the way.

"Or not," he said as he gave up, lying down again. With some effort, he reached for the communicator on his wrist.

"Espio…can you talk?"

There was silence for about a minute. Mighty figured that the chameleon was in some hidden area, or-

"My apologies, Mighty. I was distracted for a moment."

"Ah, no worries…I'm in no rush right now."

"You sound like you're in some discomfort."

He managed a smirk at that. "Guess you could say so…where are you right now?"

"Nearly in the control room. I picked up the _ki_ of another life form…my guess is that it's our hostage."

"Alright, sounds good. You know about what happened to Sonic?"

"His energies have…changed."

"No kidding. He flipped out just now...I heard the whole thing. Eggman…apparently he attacked Tails and the rest of 'em just a while ago. Something about electromagnetism…?"

"An electromagnetic pulse blast, also known as an EMP in shorthand. It overloads and subsequently destroys any electronic devices in the immediate area. If he activated one near Tails' workshop, all data systems that weren't prepared to withstand it would be lost."

"Sheesh…"

"What's more, being in contact with any conductive objects during the time the pulse is active would result in severe electrical shock…"

Mighty winced. "Man…that does not sound pleasant at all. I think that's what did it…"

"What did?"

"Eggman was hinting at the fact that Amy got fried in the same way you described. Sonic…I've never heard him that angry in my entire life. He's gonna murder Robotnik if we don't get to him. No two ways about it. He's ready to kill someone."

"Then we have no choice but to stop him," Espio said bluntly.

"What about the hostage?"

"That depends on your condition. It might be safer to leave her as is."

"I think so, too. My condition is…sore as hell," Mighty said with a grunt. "I need a while before I can move."

"Very well, then. You should reach the control room from wherever you are if you continue to follow the corridors down."

"Sounds good," Mighty said with a thumb-up. "What's your game plan?"

"Stop Sonic by any means."

"Ah…sounds solid. Take care, Espio."

"You as well, Mighty."

Espio switched frequencies to contact Tails, hoping that the boy would have some sort of backup system ready.

"This is Spectre to Tornado-1. Reply if you can hear me."

After a few moments, he heard someone clumsily pick up the radio call.

"Uh…this is…sorry, what was that, Lucy?"

"Amy? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me, sorry. Tails is in the garage trying to get his plane to work. Need to talk to him?"

"When he has a moment…but I'm wondering if you're okay."

"Me? I had a little near-death experience, but I'm just feeling out of it right now. Tails said it was like having a power line fall on you, or something. Thanks for asking, though!" she said cheerfully.

"You're welcome. I assume your friend Lucy is okay as well?"

"Yeah, she is. Other than the stitches and all. Hm?" She was silent for a moment. "Oh, okay. Lucy says hi."

"Tell her that I send my greetings as well."

"'Kay. Lucy, Espio says hi. Was there anything else that you wanted to know?"

"The extent of the damage to Tails' property and possessions."

"Oh," she said flatly. "Well, he says it's kind of bad right now. Want me to go get him?"

"If you could."

"Okay, hold on. Taaaaaaaaaaaaillllllls! Get over here, you've got a call!"

"Amy, can you get me a towel or something? I think I'm still bleeding a bit."

"Alright, Lucy."

"What is it, Amy?"

"The radio just went off, Tails! It's Espio! You know, the serious ninja guy!"

"Isn't he inside Eggman's base? I mean, I know he can transmit from there, but still…"

"Maybe he's on a tea break, or having a spring roll, or something. Whatever ninjas do, I guess."

"C'mon, Amy. Espio's not all that strict."

"Could have fooled me!"

The chameleon shook his head – Amy had forgotten to release the talk button, so everything was being transmitted to him.

_Tea break…seriously?_

"I mean, would it kill him to lighten up a bit?"

"Uh…yeah, actually. It would kill him most of the time."

"…Oh. I guess I learned something today."

"Make that two things," Tails said. "Make sure to click off the transmission button when you're not using it. Otherwise, the other person can hear everything you say. Like…just now."

"W-what?"

"Hey there, Espio."

"Tails, good to hear from you."

"H-hey! Tell him I didn't mean any of that stuff!" Amy wailed.

"Relax, I'm sure he knows already."

"You would be correct," Espio said. "Tell Miss Rose that I don't think any less of her."

"Not like you could, right? Ow!"

Espio heard the girl huff before leaving. "How severe is the damage to your equipment?"

"Ah, pretty severe. I mean, my networking wasn't messed up too badly, but the stuff I use to access it…yeah. I _really_ would need to make a parts run right now, but it would be a jerk move to leave two injured ladies alone, you know?"

"Chivalry, right."

"Well, that and the fact that Amy would throttle me."

Espio nodded. "Another good point."

"So, I guess we have the banter out of the way," Tails said with a smile. "What's going on? Need something?"

"I called to confirm a few things. Namely the safety of your group."

"Hm." The fox figured that there was a reason for that. Espio rarely did things without a reason behind each of them. "Something happen?"

"Sonic has been fed inaccurate information. Something has happened to him-"

"What? What happened to Sonic?" Amy yelled from across the room.

The chameleon paused for a moment before continuing. "His life force has changed. It is much darker in nature than before."

"I see what you're saying," Tails replied.

"What? What is he saying, Tails?"

"Espio…believes that Sonic's snapped. It's because Eggman must have told him that we got hurt, and convinced him that you…"

Amy's eyes widened. "Oh…no."

"Yeah. He had very little reason to believe otherwise," Tails said as he pointed to the metal ring on his wrist, "because he couldn't have known about the Magic Cannon. It has built in protection for things like EMP blasts, and it was offline anyways. He must have picked up the visuals, or your vitals, or something. Either way…you weren't looking good. _We_ thought we had lost you, Amy."

"What…will happen to Sonic? Is he going to be okay?"

"Espio?"

"Only time will tell," the chameleon said, "but one thing is for certain. He must be stopped before he loses his grasp on reality."

"Yeah…how long has it been since?" Tails asked.

"Fifteen minutes at the most."

"…You've probably got an hour tops, and even then, I don't know what he'll be like."

"I intend to use lethal force if necessary. Do you object?"

"Lethal _what_?" Amy screeched.

Tails gulped and nodded reflexively. "Do what you have to, Espio. Keep an eye out for another hedgehog that may be coming in as a hostage. His name is Spike Tempest, Luna's brother. There's also a red robot on the prowl…it's fast and dangerous. Gonna have to stay on your toes."

"Understood. Thank you, Tails…and I promise to do what I can."

"I know. Take care, Espio. Over and out."

Tails hung up the receiver and turned to Amy, who looked furious at what she had heard. The fox seemed impassive as he folded his arms, but was far from it.

"You're letting him kill Sonic."

"Amy-"

"You…are letting him **kill** Sonic."

"Amy."

"Are you going to try and sugar-coat it, now?"

"Why would I? You heard about what's happened."

She glared at him. "So what, that means he's incapable of controlling himself?"

"In that state, yes."

"How would you know?"

Tails sighed. "Because I've seen it before."

"And he pulled himself out that time, right?"

"Yeah-"

"And he was fine after, right?"

"You're not-"

"He hasn't gone on any rampages or killed anyone since then, has he?"

"Amy-"

"I don't understand your logic, then!" she screamed. "I don't understand how in one case, he can bring himself back just fine, but in another case, you suddenly have to end his life!"

"You're not getting it."

"What the hell is there to _get_?"

"There's something missing this time."

"Oh, so there's something _missing_, is there? Something he's lacking, yeah? Tell me, then. Tell me," she sneered, "what oh so important thing is he _missing_ this time? Tell me what's not there, Tails! Stop dancing around it and-"

"You."

She stopped.

"…What?"

"It's you. That's what's missing," Tails repeated softly.

"I…" She stared at the fox, confused. "I don't understand. Me?"

Tails nodded slowly. "The last time…he went into that state. I remember it. He thought something bad had happened to me, and when I woke up, I just felt this…power. It felt like him but so unlike him at the same time. He kind of forced himself over the limit that day…but he pulled himself out of it."

He walked towards Amy, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"He said that he thought about all the people he cared about. All of us. But he told me that…he saw something at the last moment. He said he saw you crying for him, Amy. And the last thing he ever wanted to do was make you cry. That was the biggest reason he pulled himself away from that madness. More than anything else, he wanted to see you smile."

"Tails…I…"

"You didn't know. Well, you couldn't know. He never told anyone besides me about that day…and there are things that I don't know to this moment. But…when Espio spoke earlier, I put two and two together. Losing me, I mean…he'd be pissed beyond anything. We're closer than anyone, you know? But you, Amy…you mean a lot to him in so many other ways. You always have, and you always will. So just hearing about that…it had to be unreal. Especially after you two started hitting it off," he finished with a smile.

"Aren't you…you know," she said timidly.

"Jealous?"

"Y-yeah."

"Amy…my big brother gets to be happy. Why would I be jealous of that?"

She looked at him, realizing that he was being honest – he really didn't know why he would have to be envious of another relationship.

To be fair…Amy couldn't think of a reason, either.

"…Thank you. I was thinking some…you know, cruel thoughts…"

"Like what?"

"Like…who would really care if Eggman was killed off? Good riddance and all of that."

"I've thought that at times, too," Tails admitted, cupping his chin with one hand. "But Sonic doesn't subscribe to that theory. He said he heard somewhere that 'the Sun shines on the just as well as the unjust'."

"What's that mean?"

"It means that…no matter how good or bad a person is, they get the same chances, the same opportunities for change as everyone else does. To him it means that everyone should have the same chance to live life without it being taken away so…arbitrarily."

"Hm…I think I get it."

"Basically, Sonic's leaving Eggman's fate to the powers that be. He doesn't feel that it's right to kill someone just because they're a bad person. And he'd feel awful about it later."

"He's _still _apologizing for that glass he broke," Amy said with a sigh.

"Wasn't that two years ago?"

"Yeah. I can see how he'd beat himself up over taking a life…I would think that it'd be good to be rid of Eggman, but…"

"I know. That's why I told Espio to do what he had to do. This time, I don't think Sonic will be able to get out of this mess by himself."

* * *

Knuckles was in his usual spot, in front of the Master Emerald. He started doing push-ups in the afternoon, not bothering to keep count or do anything other than listen to the sounds around him. One arm rested on his back as he raised and lowered himself repeatedly.

"Something you need?" he said without looking up.

"It might be that," he got as a reply.

Knuckles continued his workout, ignoring the white bat as she looked over the giant emerald nearby.

"Do you know anything about a girl named Lucy?"

"Yeah. She was here about a week ago."

"Oh? What for?"

"Long story."

"I've got time."

"Sure you do. As long as I don't boot you off my island, you've got all the time in the world," Knuckles said wryly.

"This is serious business, you know."

"Forgive me for my lack of _tact_, ma'am."

Rouge huffed and put her hands on her hips. "Are you going to listen to me or not?"

"Never stopped."

"Fine. Here's the deal, your buddy Tails had his place attacked earlier."

Knuckles stopped his exercise and stood up, dusting his gloved hands off. "Is he okay?"

"He's fine. That girl Lucy was stabbed, and Amy had an unholy amount of voltage run through her. Enough so that her heart almost stopped."

"Are those two alright?" he asked with concern.

"They're both okay. All of us know that. Sonic was led to believe otherwise."

"Sonic? What about him?"

"He's in one of Eggman's bases, trying to rescue someone. Only…he's completely lost control. He thinks our friend Amy is-"

"Dead. Right…right." Knuckles scratched his head. "Properties of negative Chaos Energy…it sounds pretty bad from that angle. Okay, I'm curious…what would make Eggman up and attack Tails' place like that?"

"He was after the others who were inside. Three seemingly ordinary hedgehogs were made part of a secret government project, which was said to be a ghost story at best..."

"Let me guess, those three were made part of this project without their knowledge?"

"Aren't we savvy today?" Rouge said with a smile. "Anyways, Eggman kidnapped one of them, and then another from Tails' workshop. The last one's under our protection. Your friend Lucy just _happens_ to be related to her."

Knuckles' brow went up. "Yeah? You mean by blood?"

"Yup. S'what the data said."

"That's interesting. You wouldn't think that would be possible, since she's from the future."

"Say what?"

"Yeah, it's true," he said casually. "Two hundred years from our time, just about."

_I thought I heard something like that earlier…hm. Now this just confirms it._

"Curiouser and curiouser," Rouge said under her breath.

"So those two were related…? Or at least part of the same experiment, I reckon," Knuckles said as he started to shadow box, punching the air rapidly.

"Lucy was somebody's attempt to duplicate Sakura Bright's hidden abilities. They succeeded to a small extent, but only that much. According to what the kid found, there's a lot more that these three are capable of."

"This all sounds familiar," he said as he dodged invisible blows.

"You mean like Shadow," Rouge said as she folded her arms. "The projects were started around the same time, only Gerald's was a bit more open. Doctor Pearson took his secrets to his grave."

"Number one question remains…who opened up Pandora's Box this time, huh?"

"Eggman's in on this, but there's someone else. A young woman named Ellen Pearson."

"Granddaughter?"

"Yeah. And a good friend of our three little hedgehogs. They lived together for years, apparently. So the doc worked in his little tests during their stay."

"Sounds messed up," Knuckles said as he threw a haymaker. "Any idea why he was doing this?"

"No," she said with a sigh. "They might as well have dumped black ink on all of the files, because that's what it damn well looks like. Everyone involved is either dead or missing as a 'parting gift'."

"Hm."

"Anyways…I just wanted to keep you in the loop, that's all. See you later."

"Hold on a moment."

She turned and gave him a look. "What do you want now? I'm leaving your precious Master Emerald _and_ your island."

"You're sure about that?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

He shook his head. "I could have gotten all of that information from another source, and you know that. It must have taken a bit of effort to come up here in a government jet and all…there must be a reason for the hassle you went through."

"You're mistaken, then."

"Rouge, don't play games. Tell me what you have to tell me."

She wrapped her arms around herself, staring at the ground. Her foot lazily kicked at the stray stones in front of her as she debated on speaking. It was the real reason she had come, right? As much as they had their differences, she could trust him…right?

Couldn't she?

"I…shouldn't be telling you this. It would be stupid…in hindsight, I guess."

"You mean a secret? I really don't have anyone up here to expose them to," he said, spreading his arms.

"It's…classified information. Top secret government data. If I open my mouth and mention even one thing about it to you, it's considered high treason. Not only that, but if anyone high up wanted to, they could…kill me. And maybe any of you that I've ever talked to. You, Sonic, even that rabbit girl and her mother…"

"Is it that important?"

"Yes. It's…a dangerous secret. But…I just can't…stand by and let this happen. I knew that I had to tell someone else, or I would go insane."

"…So, what is it?" Knuckles asked as he stood beside her.

"…I came across an audio tape. It was recorded by Nicholas Pearson five years ago. His granddaughter's birthday. In it are details on the nature of his experiments and his ambitions, but only snippets…he alludes to a set of journals and a diary, a very specific diary that he gave to his granddaughter Ellen when she was thirteen."

"A birthday gift," Knuckles said.

"Yes. Several times, he makes mention of a 'key'. It has to be the same key that Tails mentioned and that Eggman is looking for. To unlock this 'true potential' hidden inside of those three hedgehogs. Knuckles…I need you to do something."

He nodded. "Yeah. Tell me what it is."

"You need to listen to this tape with me. Make a mental note of the important things in it. Afterwards, I will leave this island, and you'll contact Tails as soon as you can. Tell him everything that you know. In three hours, I'll have the tech lab in Central City opened up for him – he'll know what to do from there."

Knuckles wondered why she couldn't do it herself, but she must have had her reasons. It could be anything.

"I'll make sure to do that for you, Rouge."

"Knuckles…thank you. I really mean it. Listen, I'll do anything-"

"Start by taking care of yourself. You don't look so good."

"Yeah…" She felt herself blush a bit. "I'll be sure to."

"Tails set up a computer room of sorts nearby. I'll take you to it so we can listen to that tape. I just have to secure the Master Emerald first."

"Right…I'll wait here."

"Thanks."

Rouge wondered to herself if what she was doing was the right thing. She was betraying her country, but in her heart, this was for the greater good. Normally, an agent wouldn't put their heart before their head, but this time was different. There were so many people who were willing to kill her, who were willing to throw their lives away for bits and pieces of information. It wasn't just a myth anymore, it was all too real.

Whatever this thing was, she knew that it wasn't any good.

Something inside of her was screaming out, saying that she couldn't go on like this any longer. She wanted to trust Knuckles and believe that he had no reason to betray her. That voice in the back of her head kept on talking, making her paranoid…but she ignored it completely, knowing that this was far bigger than herself. It had to be done.

And if came to it…she would fight for her life, tooth and nail. Nothing as easy as a knife in the back, no. She'd make those bastards work for her blood.

"All set," Knuckles said as he returned. He noted that the fear in her eyes was starting to disappear…good. She'd feel better because of it.

"Okay. Let's go, then."

The two walked through the trees to their next destination.


	38. Beat The Clock, Act 6

a/n: Shorter than the last few, but felt just as long for me. Now with 125% more drama. I believe I told a certain someone that this was going to be about 50 chapters at most…yeah. Not happening. But hey, that just means more for y'all to read, so everyone wins. Well, I think.

Thanks for all the support, and happy reading.

* * *

Eggman was waiting.

He sat inside of his newest machine, inside of a closed-off room. The only entrance was through the air vent on the ceiling, and he made sure of it by way of several tests. Anyone who came down that ventilation shaft was trapped with him.

Including that wretched hedgehog.

The doctor's latest 'toy' was simple in its design. An aerodynamic, bullet-shaped profile with two floating rings circling it, one on the front end and another on the back end. They rotated slowly in opposite directions as the machine hovered above the ground, idling as it waited for its opponent to arrive.

Eggman rested his arms on the dashboard, the cockpit opened for the moment. He stared at the far wall, meditating. Thinking about the possible scenarios in his head, how far and how quickly the hedgehog could move in a certain space. He wanted to believe that formulas and theorems would work one day against Sonic, but it seemed to be a pipe dream. If it were about reaching a speed, or a level of acceleration, it might have been possible. There were ways to ground the hedgehog, make him slow down. That wasn't the problem. It wasn't that he was fast. It was that he was _good_ at _being_ fast.

There were many instances where he would rely on instinct and create near misses out of direct hits. He'd brake for a split second to get behind you. He'd launch himself forward at just the right spot to overtake you. He'd accelerate by exactly one step to foul up your precise calculations. Every slope, every incline, every drop and visible gap…he would use them to his advantage, no matter what the situation. Crossing large stretches of land with ease, using lead pipes as rails, and all manner of absurd things…if it was even remotely conceivable, he was capable of it.

But here…he would be limited. He needed to be limited enough so that the doctor could gain the advantage. The room was too tight for him to have room to breathe. He had to be on the defensive this time.

Sonic dropped down from the vent at last, the grate crushed underneath his feet. He stared down Eggman as the latter closed his cockpit, preparing for battle.

"I'll make sure to kill you where you stand, Robotnik."

The scientist simply grunted at his nemesis' remark, though he felt extremely uneasy about the hedgehog's demeanour. It was…much darker than he had remembered. And he certainly didn't hand out death threats, even in his darkest hours.

"Whatever your game," Eggman said, feigning indifference, "if you're stupid enough to get in my way, you'll be crushed. It matters not who you are."

"…"

"But don't worry, my friend. I'll be sure to put you out of your misery…just like that little hedgehog."

"That…little hedgehog…?"

Sonic felt himself shaking with rage, the memories coming back to the surface in a torrent.

"Just like…that…hedgehog? You…you bastard. Her name…her **name…**!"

"Hm?"

"**Her name was AMY!"**

The machine shook violently at Sonic's roar, the walls vibrating with horrible screeches. A black aura streamed off of the hedgehog's body like a sheet of flame, billowing behind him.

"You…you've really gone this far, hedgehog. So be it…this will be our last fight. Today…**destiny will be decided!**"

"Shut your mouth! Your only future is death, fat man!"

"Come, then! Show me the future, if you dare!"

Eggman's hands blurred as they flew across the control panel in front of him, ion thrusters moving to full throttle and firing with reckless abandon. The machine shot across the room in a flash, aiming for Sonic and missing as he slid under it to safety. The hedgehog ran for the far wall and jumped off of it towards Eggman, his eyes void of emotion as he shot forward. A shell of black wind formed around him as he slammed into the machine, their momentum cancelling each other out.

The doctor input another sequence of commands, the ground ahead of him glowing white. The machine somehow shot forward at an even faster pace, catching Sonic off-guard and slamming into him. Before he could recover, the machine had created another pathway and shot down it, slamming into Sonic again before he could land on his feet.

Ion thrusters pulsed again, and the machine went into reverse to hit Sonic once more. The hedgehog bounced across the room, unable to see that the machine had moved in a lateral burst to get into position. He screamed as Eggman rammed him in the back, slamming him face-first into the far wall.

The doctor took a moment to ridicule his foe, a smile on his face as the hedgehog stirred slowly.

"Introducing my newest creation…the Egg Impulse."

Sonic cracked his neck and stood up, his dark eyes boring through Eggman's goggles.

"Bring all the eggs you want. I'll scramble them, and then I'll scramble you, egg-head."

_He's taken damage like this before, but…this time, he just shrugged it off completely. This form…what is it? Although his propensity for horrible puns has not diminished, unfortunately…_

"Just try it, you blue runt."

Sonic tensed his legs before shooting forward, drifting around the machine as he read its movements. He rammed himself head-first into the side of it, tilting it for a split second. Eggman moved like lightning, creating another accelerated pathway to escape down. Sonic read the move and bounded off of a corner before shooting towards the machine, a shell of red energy following him.

Eggman shot away in the nick of time, scrambling to the other side and shooting forward again as Sonic slammed into the wall, the force of his Chaos Boost leaving it severely dented. He felt the fur on his back stand on end as Eggman neared, and he performed a backflip to evade the machine. Eggman had the Impulse go into a quick spin before bursting back the other way towards the hedgehog. Sonic jumped on reflex and came down with an Earthquake Stomp, slamming the machine to the floor as it skidded on its floating rings.

The scientist threw the machine into a violent spin, tossing Sonic off as it locked onto him. In a flash, it had slammed into him again, sending him across the floor. Eggman made the machine jump in midair before directing it downwards on its nose, intending to squash Sonic like a bug. The hedgehog recovered at the last moment and kicked off of the machine back into the nearby wall. He lowered a shoulder and unleashed another Chaos Boost, ramming it hard and sending Eggman into the back wall, the Egg Impulse whirring as it repaired the damage to its back end.

"Fading…c-can't be fading…I have to…I **need this! He took my friends away!**"

Arcs of black energy jumped over Sonic's body, his breathing getting heavier with each passing moment.

"H-he…killed her! I have to…have to destroy him! I have to kill him! **This is the only way!**"

Who was fighting him? Who…? He had to kill Robotnik! Amy was dead because of him!

_This isn't the way. She wouldn't want this._

"Shut up!"

_Don't you remember the last time? She was crying…for you. You can't do it this way. You won't win._

"I will…I will…aaaaaaaa**aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh!**"

Sonic's quills were starting to stand on end, the overwhelming energy starting to pour from his body. Eggman growled and pushed the Egg Impluse to full throttle.

He was too slow.

Even at the machine's incredible speeds, Sonic's reaction was too quick. He threw a punch at the cockpit window, cracking it in every direction. Eggman did a barrel roll, hoping to throw him off again, but Sonic simply overpowered the machine's thrust and flipped the other way at an even faster rate. Eggman's high-speed gyratory stabilizers couldn't handle the speed and started to fail, throwing the doctor's equilibrium into chaos.

Sonic grabbed the machine, arresting its spin before slamming it into the ground, the floating rings shattering to pieces from the impact. His hands dug into the steel frame and tore it apart. He punched through the cockpit glass and grabbed Eggman, throwing him into the wall viciously.

The doctor got up slowly, only to be kicked into the nearby wall by his nemesis. Sonic rushed over to the fallen man and turned him over, punching him in the face repeatedly. His fist became a blur of red and white as the scientist bled, Sonic turning his head into a speedball as it met his fist again and again.

"Sonic! Stop!"

He ignored the voice, instead continuing to beat down on Eggman as he cried out in pain. Espio continued to yell at him, seeing no change in the situation. The human's blood was flying out with each punch…he knew there was only one way. Only one solution.

Espio threw a pair of kunai at Sonic, forcing him to drop the bleeding doctor to catch them. In a flash, he threw them back at a vicious speed, puncturing the chameleon's arm guards and piercing his flesh.

"It's done…"

Sonic watched his world go black as he fell to the ground, two _senbon_ stuck in his throat.

For all intents and purposes…he was dead.

Dead, but not beyond salvation.

The shinobi walked up to his comrade, placing two fingers on his neck for a pulse. Nothing. The needles had done their jobs…now he simply needed to get some sort of help in time. He looked at Eggman, lying motionless on the floor.

"…"

He threw Sonic over his shoulder and leapt back up into the vent, scaling it with expertise as he held the hedgehog by one hand.

A loud boom sounded down the shaft, and he emerged at the top to find himself in the control room. A battered Mighty shook out his hand as the prison around the hedgehog girl fell.

"Luna, I'm guessing?"

She nodded, giving the armadillo a hug.

"Uh…you're welcome. Friendly, isn't she?" he said to Espio.

"Indeed," he replied, pulling the shuriken out of his hands. He wrapped bandages around the wounds before putting his gloves back on, flexing his hands.

"What happened to…Sonic? Why are there-"

"He's dead."

"What?"

"Temporarily," Espio added. "Though if we take too long, it will be permanent…"

"So let's get the hell out of here!"

The three heard a noise coming from the other side of the room. Emerging from the shadows was a red robot, the same red robot that had been tormenting them for the past few days.

"Knuckles?"

"No," Espio said with realization. "_Metal_ Knuckles."

The robot was sleek looking, arms made like metal wings to catch air when gliding, yet with enough flexibility to bend when needed. Sharp, diamond-edged claws stuck out like blades on each hand. A metal suit protected it like a jacket, preventing damage to the internal system. The overdriven jet engine at its back roared loudly.

"Sweet mother of Chaos…we're screwed."

Espio shared the same sentiments, even as he drew a kunai and stood in front of Luna protectively. The robot shot forward at an insane speed, red eyes glowing in a sinister way.

And it was suddenly that _he_ arrived.

In a burst of crimson light, Shadow the Hedgehog slammed into Metal Knuckles, sending the robot straight through the main computer and several of the rooms behind it.

His eyes flashed, and he wasted no more time. With a snap of his fingers, he had Amy, Tails, and Vector appear around him. He tossed a green Chaos Emerald to the girl and barked out orders.

"All of them! Chaos Control! **Now! **Prower, third computer from your right, move it! Espio, back me up!"

Amy focused with all she could muster, the Emerald's energy starting to swirl around her.

"So help me, Rose…**if you don't move your sorry ass-**"

"**Chaos Control!**"

In a flash, Mighty, Vector, Luna, and Sonic disappeared along with Amy. She returned a moment later, panting.

"Tails, before I lose my nerve…!"

"Dammit, move your behind, boy! I can't guarantee your safety!" Shadow yelled.

"Got it! Amy, turn n' burn!"

"No need to remind me…**Chaos Control!**"

The two disappeared a moment later as Shadow threw a barrage of Chaos Spears at the approaching machine.

"Eggman?" the hedgehog asked as the dust started to settle.

"Incapacitated."

"The other hostage?"

"No sign of him."

"Fine…here we go."

Espio readied his shuriken, while pulses of energy crackled in Shadow's hands.

Flames illuminated the far end of the building as a jet engine cut through the silence with a roar.

The machine was ready.

It charged.


	39. Floodlights

a/n: Thanks for the support and enjoy.

* * *

"You're insane. Both of you."

Two hours before their arrival at Eggman's base, Amy, Tails, and Lucy had travelled to the G.U.N Headquarters in Central City. It was the official front for the military organization, since they refused to reveal the location of their actual headquarters underground. It was somewhere, though nobody outside of certain circles knew where 'somewhere' could possibly be.

Shadow did his paperwork at the Central City HQ. He had detested the building until he got his own corner office as a result of a promotion. Nowadays, he seemed to grumble a bit less. Not so irritable Ultimate Lifeforms also had a good effect on morale.

"Please, just hear us out," Tails pleaded.

"Yeah! We didn't come all the way here just to have you say no!" Amy added.

"Ah, you're mistaken there," Shadow said as he wagged a finger. "You didn't _plan _to come all the way here just to have me say no. To say what you said implies that I could _not_ have said no, but we know that's not the case, because...well, I'm saying no. Because you are both very, very _disturbed_ children. One with fried electronics and another with a possible heart condition-"

"She's actually healed up enough to take on some combat, just nothing extremely intensive," Tails interrupted.

The hedgehog gave him a cold look. "Case in point. Now excuse me while I put your inane babbling out of my head."

"Shadow...would you please listen? If only for a moment?"

He grumbled as Lucy clasped her hands in front of her, staring straight at him with sad, pleading eyes. Shadow hated that look, if only because Rouge liked to use it on him.

The other thing that bothered him about it was that it worked _every time_.

_That happened to be Maria's favourite look to give me...when she needed something she couldn't reach. Which was a lot of the time..._

"Stop looking at me like that..."

"Please? For...for me?"

Well, he _did_ owe her for the scare he caused at the workshop...

"...Repeat your plan to me kid," he said to Tails.

Lucy smiled, bowing deeply towards him. "Thank you..."

"It's not like I'm doing it for you, or anything...so hurry up and run your idea by me again. Before I toss you all in a rubber room."

"Right, so here's the deal," Amy started. "Tails was talking about how Sonic lost it because he thought I was dead. So...what if I show up, try to calm him down?"

"That's it?"

"No, that's not it. Stop rushing me," she scolded. "There's another purpose besides that. We have a way of mapping out certain parts of Eggman's base. Tails said that basically, the room with the 'highest concentration of electrical energy input and voltage potential' should also be the same area where he's holding data on Sakura and the others. So Tails gets in there, hijacks the most important data super-fast, and then plants a worm into Eggman's computer or computers, whatever the case may be. That way, we can steal Eggman's important files right from under his nose whenever the time is right. Then there's something else to consider. It's crazy, but we need all the firepower we can get with Sonic out of the picture. A team of three is fine, but from I hear, Mighty's not doing too well and Espio's on high alert already. So our third purpose in going is to help those three that are already inside. The last reason is for rescue, if anything should go wrong _or _we have a chance at taking Spike back from that red robot. He's an ass, but even he doesn't deserve to be prodded at like a piece of meat."

"…"

"So…what do you think?"

Shadow sighed. "It's the most inane, uncoordinated and illogical plan you could think of, Rose. However, it is noble enough…and it relies mainly on execution rather than process. You all seem to be good at execution, at least."

"Is that a yes?" she said hopefully.

"…Add one more to your team and call me later."

"Yes, yes, yes! Oh, thank you, Shadow!" She squeezed him and kissed him on the cheek. "I mean it, thank you!"

"Whatever…get off of me."

"Sorry, sorry. Okay…this is gonna work for sure, now. I just know it will," Amy said as she clasped her hands.

"I assume you did all of the heavy thinking," Shadow said to Tails. The fox shook his head.

"Nope. Everything was Amy's idea. I know, I was surprised, too. Didn't think she knew that much about computers…no offence."

"None taken," she said with a smile. "I only got into that stuff recently, after that computer salesman said I should read up to understand my new desktop better. By the way, thanks for helping me set it up."

"No problem."

"I didn't think that this was the time for banter," Shadow interrupted. "I'm off to run some errands…make sure to call me if you don't wimp out."

"Keep your phone handy," Amy said as he walked away. "Didn't think he'd go for it…I'm glad we tried, at least."

"Yeah. Now we have a shot at fixing this mess. Only thing we have to figure out is where to go from there," Tails said.

"When we get to that bridge, Tails. For now, let's find our extra person."

"I have at least one person in mind right now. I'd ask Rouge, but she's gone invisible, it seems. Knuckles isn't an option right now…"

"Who are you thinking of?" Lucy asked.

"Vector. He's probably-"

"You're nuts," Amy said, cutting him off. "We'll have to explain the mission to him, and then he'll demand 'danger pay' or some garbage like that."

"If I'm correct, our only other options are Cream, Big, and Charmy at the moment. I doubt Miss Rabbit would let her daughter go, Big's…"

"An idiot," Amy said.

"No, he's not an idiot at all. Just…I guess, rationally challenged?"

"Tails. I like the guy, and he's a big softie. But he. Is. An. Idiot."

He sighed. "Point made. He's too big to hide, anyways. Well, reliably."

"And Charmy is…"

"…actually a viable option, but he'd annoy the heck out of us. I mean, he's _probably_ picked up a few things from Espio and Vector. That being said, I think he's on security detail with their new client and couldn't help."

"Security detail?"

"What _else_ would he be doing? Detective work?" Tails said with a brow raised.

"Point made," Amy replied. "Well...I suppose we should make that call. Wonder how much he'll gouge us for."

Tails started to walk down the street. "Amy, relax. Once Vector hears our situation, he'll be willing to help out. I don't think he'd charge with a good friend in need."

* * *

"Why the hell are we paying you five grand again?"

The remainder of the group was now on one of the docks for Eggman's base, the sun high in the sky above them and beating down with a relentless heat.

"Money talks, and bull-"

"Thank you for your input, Mighty. But I know the saying well enough," Amy replied snappily. "That being the case, your _boss_ needs to give us a refund when all is said and done."

Vector snorted at her, adjusting the volume on his headphones. "Yeah? And what gives _you_ the right?"

"Oh, about…two thousand five hundred dollars would. That about right, Tails?"

He nodded as Vector gaped at him. "She insisted that we each go half in."

"You didn't mention that!" the crocodile groaned.

"Hey, you didn't ask. You just assumed that I was your only paying client. Sorry."

"He got you there, boss," Mighty said. "Anyways, how long did Espio say we had?"

"Two hours before Sonic's vitals completely fail."

"We should get a move on, then. The nearest hospital, Tails?" Amy said.

"No good. They wouldn't know how to deal with this sort of thing. We have two options now. One's in Chun-nan, the other's in Empire City."

"Let's go with Chun-nan. We'll be able to slow down a bit there," she said quickly.

"Alright. I know you're tired…"

"Yeah, I've got it. The Tornado's down that way, so we should try to take it along as well."

"Are you sure?" Tails asked, concerned. She was quite good at using Chaos Control as they had discovered a few hours prior, but fatigue was clear on her face and in her body language. Had she been active too soon? Did she need more rest after that huge shock she got earlier? His remaining equipment had shown her vitals as normal and stable, and Shadow had double-checked before they started. It should have been fine, but something was nagging him about it.

The other thing that concerned him about her was Sonic's condition. She hadn't reacted to it other than with a low whisper after they left the base.

Was she feeling something and just suppressing it? Or was she actually numb to the situation? Neither seemed healthy…

"I'm sure! You're all counting on me, right?"

She smiled, but it seemed to Tails as if she were hiding something. It could have been that he was projecting his own feelings onto her…he felt exhausted and crushed after seeing his best friend just lying there, not breathing. It was like he was dead. He might as well have been, for all that Espio told them.

The six of them made it to the workshop without incident, Amy breathing heavily. Lucy rushed out as she heard them arrive.

"Are you all okay?"

"We're in one piece," Tails said. "Our plan worked for the most part…Espio and Shadow are still in there, and hopefully they come back soon. This is the rendezvous point, so when they show up, it'll be here."

"Okay. And…Sonic?"

"…"

"He's dead," Amy replied. "But only temporarily."

"I…oh. But…"

"It's complicated, Lucy. But we're going to get him some help, really quickly. Hey, Tails, maybe we should use a Chaos Control to get over there. It'd be a lot faster."

"I don't think-"

"Come on, we'll be giving Sonic a lot more time this way!" she shouted.

"Amy. You're tired. This isn't good for you."

"That doesn't matter right now. This is for Sonic, here! The more time we spend arguing-"

"Alright, I got it. Vector, do you have another job to tend to?"

"Well, not at the moment. But if you, ah…require my _services_…"

"He doesn't. I'm gonna watch over your friend here _pro bono,_" Mighty said. "I'm good, just need a plate of food and maybe an hour of sleep. Been through worse."

"I can take care of that for you," Lucy said. "My name's Lucille, but everyone calls me Lucy. I'm grateful for your kindness."

"No worries. Oh, yeah. This here is Luna, our rescued friend," he said while pointing to the dark hedgehog nearby. "She's a bit on the quiet side, but a nice girl. Oh, Vec! That means you can get back to the office and catch up on that paperwork now! See, everyone wins."

The crocodile grumbled and turned up the volume on his headphones. "Yeah, yeah. See you guys later. Make sure you take care of the blue fella, can't have him croaking on us now. He doesn't deserve that kind of endin'."

"Thanks, Vector. I'll wire you the money when I get back," Tails said. Vector threw a thumb-up over his shoulder.

"Time's wasting, Tails!"

He nodded to Amy. Even though it was against his better judgement, and the Tornado ACE could easily make the trip in forty-five minutes at the most…this was for Sonic.

"Do it."

"**Chaos…Control!**"

In a flash of light, the two arrived in the remote Chinese village. The trees hid them from any spectators as they carried their lifeless friend further in, looking for a certain man that they knew could help them.

"What's wrong with Sonic?"

Tails turned to the girl in the red shirt, her black hair gathered into a small ponytail on one side of her head.

"Yilin…is your grandfather around?"

"He is. Is Sonic sick?"

"You…could say that. And he needs Mister Zonshen's help. Like, yesterday."

She nodded and ran as fast as she could, Tails and Amy following carefully. The girl propped open the entrance to the nearby house, which looked ordinary enough but carried a strange sense of calm.

"Grandfather! Sonic is sick, and he needs your help!"

The old man looked up from his reading, noticing the twin-tailed fox and pink hedgehog carrying their companion.

"Oh, dear."

"Is Sonic going to be okay?" Yilin asked. Zonshen patted her head.

"I'm sure he will be. Now go out and play, alright? I'll let you know what happens."

She nodded, sniffling as she ran past the two visitors and outside.

"You children know that I can't revive-"

"He's not dead! Not yet!" Amy said frantically.

"There are two throwing needles in his neck," Tails explained. "The one who did this was one of our friends, a shinobi."

"Lie him down," Zonshen said, pointing to a nearby bed. Tails and Amy did so, backing away as the man brushed his nimble fingers over the _senbon_.

"Remarkable skill," he commented. "It takes a master to be this precise. If he had missed by even half an inch…Sonic wouldn't have a chance. The needles have not harmed his physical state directly, but rather through indirect means. These are not regular throwing needles."

"What? Then what kind are they?" Amy asked.

"I think you know the answer to that, young Tails."

Tails nodded. "Had to have a mix of Chaos Energy in there somewhere. It stopped Sonic from tapping into more of his negative power…or any power at all. The flow of energy in his body is frozen. Never really took much stock in the whole _ki_ or _chi_ or _chakras_ or whatever they call them nowadays…but recent stuff is making me a believer, at least a little bit."

"He will be fine. I can take care of this operation today, and Sonic should be fine in about a week or so."

"Two days," Tails corrected.

"Hm?"

"It's usually that Sonic takes two days where most would take a week for healing processes. Just something I know."

Zonshen nodded, pushing up his glasses. "Indeed. You two are close, so I shouldn't doubt you. Sonic here will be fine, so you two should go and get some rest. You look like you need it," he said as he looked at Amy.

"I think I'm fine, but thank you for your concern," she replied politely.

"In either case, both of you shoo," the old man said with a smile.

"Yeah. We'll see you later."

Tails and Amy walked out of the house, and the pink hedgehog grabbed her friend's arm. She dragged him into the woods just ahead, letting go as he wrenched himself away from her.

"Hey, Amy! What gives?"

"I think we should go home and rest, don't you? Maybe make a trip back in a few hours?"

"Amy, no," he said sternly. "You need to rest _now_. No more Chaos Control, or anything that expends energy so quickly."

"Tails, I'm fine."

"You're not."

"I am."

"You're _not_."

"We'll discuss this at the workshop," she said coldly, producing the Chaos Emerald. "Here we go."

"Amy, don't!"

"**Chaos…**"

The energy built up around her before fizzling out. "It's…it's okay. I messed up, happens to the best of us."

"Stop it," Tails pleaded. "Don't do this…"

"C-Chaos…" It got half as far before fading again. She was panicking, her breathing coming out ragged. "I can do this…just need another try. One more. One…"

"**Amy! Stop it!**"

She dropped the Emerald, letting it roll to a stop on the ground.

It felt like all of the air had been sucked out of her.

"Please…stop it. All you're doing is hurting yourself."

"I…Tails…I can't…I have to be strong…"

She felt warm tears fall from her eyes. "I have to be strong…"

"You've done enough. Amy…you've done more than enough."

Her lips quivered as she took deep breaths, futilely trying to hold her composure. "I can't...cry. You know that Sonic hates it...when I cry."

"..."

"Amy...you're the strongest girl I know. And it's okay to feel a little weak sometimes...right?"

"N-not right now. We...I mean, I have...I have to..."

His blue eyes quivered as they stared into hers, looking for some sort of guidance, some sort of sign that this was just a bad dream and it would pass like everything else had. But she couldn't give him that assurance. She couldn't give him anything...he was just a scared child, no matter how much she tried to overlook it. They were both just kids, both looking for some kind of comfort from somebody or something, and she had failed him so miserably that it hurt. As much as she tried, she couldn't be anything else but helpless.

She finally gave way, the tears spilling faster down her face as she screamed out. Tails put his arms around her, and she squeezed back. Silently, he let his own tears fall, feeling himself connect with the girl crying her heart out for the one she loved, and who they both loved more than anything or anyone.

He wanted so badly to hold himself together just as she wanted, but it was impossible. Even hearing that it would be okay hadn't dulled the pain of seeing him that way. He was…gone. Whether it was for a minute or a day, he wasn't breathing, wasn't moving. He wasn't…anything anymore.

They both wanted to be strong…but for now, they would share this moment of weakness together.


	40. Power Grab, Part 1

a/n: Another one. Thanks for reading.

* * *

The night passed quickly, mercifully so for some.

Espio and Shadow climbed up an abandoned elevator shaft and to relative safety, taking in the fresh air that greeted them on the outside.

"Many thanks, Shadow."

"Don't mention it. We're square, but you owe those kids a favour or two."

"Noted."

Shadow brushed the dirt out of his fur and frowned at the one injury he had sustained in the battle, a small cut on his arm. Another careless mistake...he needed to make things like that stop before they started.

"I was sloppy today," he muttered. Espio blinked but said nothing, attributing the comment to the hedgehog's pursuit of perfection. It made sense, at least when considering his ego.

"Strange robot. It's fast, probably as fast as I am even though it's based on Knuckles. It favours him only vaguely…the machine takes speed and precision over raw power."

"Indeed."

"I'll try to look into things when I get back to headquarters. In the meantime, do whatever you have to do. And make sure to keep your client safe, as there's no guarantee that Eggman will simply leave her alone."

"And Miss Bright?" Espio asked.

"She's somewhere safe. Nobody can get to her unless we allow it."

"Very well, then. I will talk to you soon."

"Yeah." Shadow started to walk off, but stopped for a moment. "Espio."

"Yes?"

"…Tell Rouge I said 'good luck'."

The chameleon nodded, masking his surprise easily. Shadow then disappeared in a flash of green light.

"So he knows," Espio said to himself. "But he does not wish to hinder us. Perhaps there is something more. Something that he might want as a result."

Eggman had escaped in the chaos, though badly injured as a result of Sonic's attack. Spike was nowhere to be found, and Luna had been safely rescued. The work here was done, for now at least. A night's rest would do him well, then he would head towards his next destination.

It was unfortunate that he had to take a dip in the ocean beforehand. The water was ice-cold, though it was more of a comfort issue for Espio at this point. He took a deep breath and jumped into the darkness, arms cutting through the waves as he moved towards dry land.

* * *

"Thank you so much for looking out for our daughter. We really appreciate it."

Vector and Charmy were standing in the main hall of a massive mansion, situated on the Emerald Coast towards the vast ocean ahead. The Pearson Manor had been built over one hundred years ago and did not show any signs of being neglected. Many rooms and spaces grew and expanded over the past century, history etched into each part of the estate.

The floors where the detectives stood was made of shining white marble, reflecting the light coming from the elaborate crystal chandeliers overhead. Beautifully decorated staircases stretched up and down to the various floors, and the various personnel diligently took to their tasks as they moved throughout the home.

"It really was no problem, ma'am," Vector said.

"You of course were obligated, seeing as she was – or rather, is your client. But I feel as if you would help her no matter what the situation. Thank you again."

Joanna Pearson gave the two a smile as she placed her hands on her daughter's shoulders. Silvery streaks went through her curly brown hair as it fell just below her neckline. A plain white shirt and dark running pants fit snugly around her slender frame, and she absentmindedly blew a wet strand of hair away from one blue eye.

"No problemo," Charmy answered. "It was fun hanging out, and stuff! Ice cream for days!"

"Come back any time, Charmy. We'll be happy to give you all the treats you can eat," Ellen said with a smile.

"Lord knows that I won't be eating much of them…it really is hard keeping in shape, you know?" Joanna groaned. "As long as I get to play with my grandchildren when I get old…"

"That's a long way away, Mom."

"Well, you never know. Sometimes life can just rush past you…oh, it's time for you to take your medicine."

"Mom…"

"No buts," Joanna said sternly. "You know that this is important, Ellie. Okay?"

"Yeah…"

She hugged her daughter tightly. "One day you'll be free of all of that," Joanna whispered. "One day soon. I love you, darling."

"I love you too, Mom."

"Go on, now."

Ellen did as she was told, running upstairs to her room. Joanna sighed and walked to a different part of the manor, beckoning the detectives to follow her. She stopped in the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the counter.

"Water?"

They nodded, and she reached into the fridge nearby before tossing them ice-cold bottles of their own.

"Oh, that's good. Nothing beats this after a workout…you know, Ellen's a good girl. She's a good girl, she's very smart. A natural genius. She finished her graduate studies in Massachusetts. Graduate studies! She's seventeen, now. How amazing is that?"

"…But there's something else, isn't there?"

She nodded at Vector, taking a swig of water before continuing. "She is incredibly sick right now. If it's not this…illness, it's the medications she's taking for it. All sorts of things, from natural remedies to nuclear medicine…none of it's working very well. Her hair used to be such a bright shade of red, and so…just so wonderful that you couldn't stop touching it. So amazingly soft and natural. God, she was stunning when she was a little girl. Then this disease took over her, and…you can figure out the rest."

"I'm really sorry, Miss Pearson."

"Call me Joanna. I have a question for you boys."

"We're listening," Charmy said.

"Would it be too much trouble…to take on another client?"

"Uh, sure. Who'd you have in mind?" Vector asked.

"Me. Whatever my baby's paying, I'll triple it at the least."

"T-t-triple…?"

"I want to find something. Something that could possibly help cure her. I was not born into this family, but I've been part of it for many years while I dated Louis. We got married, and I learned the family history. Dad…my father in law, Nicholas. He knew that Ellen could be saved. He practically came out of retirement and worked himself so hard, just for her. He…passed on before he could finish, or so we thought."

"What do you mean?"

"There's a diary he left me. But it's so cryptic, so…I don't know," Joanna said, shaking her head. "It just feels…"

"Incomplete."

She looked up at the crocodile. "Yes. Yes, that's right. Incomplete."

"Ellen said the same thing," he noted.

"You think that they're connected? What is _she_ looking for?"

"She doesn't know. All she knows is that there's something her grandfather left, and she wants to find it. It could be something dangerous…"

"I don't care if I have to sacrifice myself to make this right. I need to help my daughter. I need to save her."

"I understand."

"Hey, Vec! What about Luna?"

Joanna blinked at the bee as he spoke. "Luna…as in Kaguya?"

"So you know her?" Vector asked.

"She lived here with two other hedgehogs…Steven Tempest, who liked to go by Spike. And Sakura Bright, who you probably know as the most accurate weather-girl in recorded history. They lived here with Ellie, the three of them. Best friends, too…it felt so good hearing them laugh and play with each other. Then it came time for them to move on to their own places, but Ellen went and visited them whenever she could. It's been about three or so years since she's been sick, five since they left here."

"We have a bit of a situation with them. Luna and Spike were kidnapped by Doctor Eggman. Luna's safe with a few of our friends, and Sakura's being secured by G.U.N right now."

"Oh…I-I see…" Joanna placed her hands on the nearby counter. "I…are they okay? What about Steven?"

"We don't know where he is. He was kidnapped while we were trying to rescue Luna."

"Do you think that Ellen…?"

"Anything's possible, Joanna."

She nodded. "I'll make a call to someone. She should be very safe from now on…but I'd also like you to help as best you could."

"One of our teammates is an expert on surveillance," Vector assured her. "He's on business…uh, overseas…right now, but will be back soon."

"That's good to know. I'll give you the diary I have, and maybe you can compare with Ellen's to dig up some clues. I want you to keep quiet about my employing you, okay?"

"Got it, Mrs. P. We won't make a peep."

"You know…you're more than welcome to stay the night if you'd like. I have a study that you could do some work in."

"Not a bad idea, actually. Whaddya say, Charm? We could probably start looking for clues early. There any other material that you think could be connected to Doc Pearson, Joanna?"

"Some things are upstairs. I'll have them brought down for you. The rest of his work is in the study…he spent so much time in there before he died. Just looking for a solution to Ellen's problem."

"We'll do what we can to help, you can count on that," Vector said with a nod.

"Yeah!" Charmy added.

"Thank you, boys. I'll whip up a snack for you two later, the study's straight down and through the big door over there."

"Thanks. Come on, Charmy. We've gotta hit the books."

"Aw, but homework's boring!"

"Yeah, yeah…but we need to do this. I think there's more to this cure than meets the eye," the crocodile said. "I guess we'll see how far this all goes, huh?"

* * *

He groaned as the sunlight hit his eyes, turning over and blinking rapidly.

"Oh, man…mondo headache."

Sonic rubbed his neck, feeling the bandages wrapped around it. That must have been where Espio nailed him earlier…

He remembered every moment of that fight with Eggman. All of the rage, the violence, the thoughts that went through his mind…it felt wrong, yet somehow justified at the same time. It was possible that he could have stopped himself. Right?

"Actions have consequences."

Sonic said it aloud, trying to determine if it sounded right, if it made any sense to him. There would be a consequence for this. How much of one? He didn't know at this point.

Swinging his legs over, he hopped out of bed and walked outside, the morning sun shining in the sky. His strength was still below normal, but it was fine for the time being. Eggman wasn't going to attack so soon, not after that beating. The man had screamed for him to stop that time, but Sonic didn't listen. Or was it that he couldn't listen? It was one of those two. Maybe he had a problem he needed to address.

Sonic frowned. No, this was a unique case. He had slipped into that form only once before, and it took a certain level of anger to reach it. Eggman had pushed him beyond their normal scuffles that time. There was a reason why he lashed out as he did. Now, did he feel justified in what he did?

"No. I feel terrible about it."

And he did truly feel that way. Perhaps with the stakes getting higher and higher, this could happen again, this violent chain-reaction that could damage him and the ones he loved in a far worse manner. So it was settled, then. He would change that hatred into a power for justice. All it required was focus, changing how he worked with his energy. Meditation? No, nothing like that.

"Focusing on the fundamentals." Yes, that would do it. He'd start when he felt like himself again.

He gasped as something hit him, slender arms going around his back and a head of pink hair rubbing into his chest. With a soft nod, he patted her head as she held him, not wanting to let go for fear of him not coming back.

"Sorry, Ames. I didn't mean to scare you like that, but I did it anyways…"

"I'm just…glad you're okay. That you're here."

"Me too." His eyes caught the dried blood on his gloves, and he slowly pulled his hand away from her. Right, there was that matter to tend to…an explanation or several to be made.

"I heard about what happened."

"Figured you would." He started to walk through the village, people bustling about near the street vendors and open markets. The sights and smells of fresh food distracted him for a moment.

"You didn't tell me about it. The first time, I meant."

"Some things I like close to my chest. But I guess now we have to address it."

"How often does something like…that happen?" she asked.

"It's a rare thing. This is only the second time."

"Are you sure?"

He shrugged. "I'm sure. Maybe you're not."

"You're right, I'm not. There's blood on your gloves. It's Eggman's, isn't it?"

"Yup."

She walked in front of him and stopped. "This seems a bit too casual, Sonic."

"Yeah, and?"

"You're certain that we can just move on like this?"

"I am. I've already made a decision to make sure that it doesn't happen again. Why's this conversation about me?"

"Why wouldn't it be?" she asked. "I was worried about you. Upset."

"Yeah, well…I thought you were dead."

"Almost."

"So you're okay?"

"Well enough to help out."

"Didn't answer the question."

"What was the question?"

"Are you okay?"

Realizing what he meant, she shook her head. "Not really."

"What can I do about it?"

She blinked. "I'm not…really sure. I'm not even sure what the biggest issue is for me right now. It's complicated."

"A lot of things are," Sonic concluded. "Everything's a mess right now."

"But about your problem…aren't we going to address it?"

"We just did."

Amy looked at him, her features softening as she stepped out of his path and walked forward. He followed, his hands folded behind his head.

"I trust you," she said.

"…Thanks. I appreciate that."

"Yeah."

"I promised you a date today. We can just hang out the whole day, you and me."

"That sounds nice. Sonic, why does it seem like you're sidestepping a big problem?"

"I have no clue," he admitted. "I'm just not stressing it right now. The water's murky, and I don't know where to look for clues. This thing is ridiculous, and we just need to sort things out before we move on. That's all it is."

"So you want to wait a bit?"

"Basically. It probably doesn't sound like me, but I hate all of this complicated crap," he said with a frown.

"Tails said that he'll get down to business soon enough. The Chaotix are working on their end, and Shadow is working on his."

"Yeah, well I can wait while they do their thing. Let the puzzle-solvers finish up before I take a look. When we get back, I want to talk to Lucy. I'm out of the loop somewhere."

She looked back at him. "How would you know that?"

"Just a feeling is all. There's something that I'm not getting."

"Maybe she'll tell you when the right time comes."

He shook his head. "There's something I need to know. I'll figure it out soon enough. So, where'd you wanna go?"

"Let's just keep walking. Is that okay?" she asked as she hooked her arm in his.

"Sure," he said with a smile. "Whatever you like, Amy."

* * *

"You realize what you're asking of me, boy?"

Strips of bandage lined the left side of Eggman's face, and a round mechanism around his head supported his broken jaw. He hobbled forward on his titanium cane, topped with his personal insignia.

He stepped forward towards his latest subject as he stood in the middle of the dark room. Light flooded in from above and illuminated him, a glare coming off of his spiky green quills.

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't know. You just told me the story, fat man." His orange eyes shook with rage. "You told me that I could have been something different! That I had a chance to become a **god!** But that stupid old man took that from me!"

"…"

"Power beyond anything that anyone could imagine…I've been pushed around my whole damn life, and I could have had it differently," Spike said as he clenched his fists. "I didn't have to depend on anyone…but look at me. I'm nothing."

"Yet you have the chance to become something."

"They'll call me petty, selfish, despicable. They wouldn't support me if I told them I wanted this."

"I can give you what you want," Eggman said. "For a price."

"What would that be?"

"You would swear your allegiance to **me**."

Turning his head from Eggman, Spike stared at the hard floors beneath his feet for a moment. He shrugged and looked back at the human. "That all?"

"That's all."

"As long as you give me what I want, that's fine with me."

Eggman nodded, a bit wary of the fact that his hostage was willing to join the dark side so quickly. But there was something about him…something sinister. The same kind of atmosphere had been around Sonic earlier…

"You realize-"

"I have no family. All I have is myself…I only needed them because I was weak."

"So you'll deliver them into my hands?"

"I'm not your little errand boy," Spike snarled. "If you want them, get them yourself. But anyone who gets in _my_ way…anyone who blocks my path to power dies. I'm too close…to let this opportunity go. Unbelievable…all of these years, I could have been more. I could have had it all, but they fucking stole it from me. No more of these games."

"Very well, then. I will release you back into Station Square. You give me a chance to get your 'sisters' into my grasp, and I will take it from there."

"You need material, I guess."

Eggman looked at him curiously. "Material?"

"The old man's books. He has them in the study at that mansion." He grunted. "No doubt she'll be around."

"Who?"

"Ellen."

"…The granddaughter and heiress apparent…how interesting. And you know where this place is?"

"Like the back of my hand. It would be easy enough to cause chaos over there."

"Excellent. A bonus for all of my hard work, then. Prepare yourself for departure."

"Whatever. Hey, fat man. I need you to do something."

Eggman grumbled before addressing him. "What might that be?"

"If you want to speed this up, drop me at Sakura's place."

"I assume you have a plan?"

"Something like that. Later." Spike walked into the darkness, leaving the doctor alone with his thoughts. Dismissing the idea that came to him, he shuffled away as the cane clicked on the metal floors below.

The light dimmed before leaving the room pitch black and silent.


	41. Power Grab, Part 2

a/n: Whew, been a while. Hope I haven't disappointed, and thanks for sticking with me all this time. Here we go.

* * *

Lucy poked at the small fire with a stick as it warmed the kettle above it, eventually causing it to whistle loudly as steam shot up from the spout. She placed it on the ground and prepared a few spoons of instant coffee, mixing them in along with the hot water as she poured it into mugs.

Mighty the Armadillo snored loudly as he lay on the couch, occasionally muttering something to himself about robot dragons. Lucy walked inside and handed a mug of coffee to Luna, who nodded gratefully as she sipped on the bitter liquid.

"Ah, what a time we've been having…"

"…"

"Yes, yes. I'm sure that Sakura is fine," Lucy replied. "I'm…a bit wary of Shadow, but I feel like he's got a good heart in him this time around."

"…"

"Mm? That's an interesting observation."

"…"

"No, no. I understand completely. Do you ever get the feeling that maybe you've messed up somewhere? Like…you try to do the right thing, but it ends up backfiring on you?"

Luna nodded. "...?"

"Yes, that's what I meant. I…I've been keeping something from someone, for fear that it will cause something terrible to happen. But what if that something terrible is already happening?"

"…"

"Well, what I mean is…in the place where I come from…well…" She shook her head. "It won't make sense unless I tell you everything. I don't know if I should."

"…"

Lucy sighed and nodded. "Well, I want to trust you, Luna. I think I will…I'll tell you all that I know. But you can't let Sonic know, not yet. The most alarming thing is about your brother…"

"…?"

"Yes, I've met him before. In another time and place, one different than our own…he was cold, like he is now…and he was thirsting for power, willing to do whatever it took to get that power. Even if it meant betraying you and Sakura, throwing your lives away so that he could live on…he did that, and in the end, Shadow took his life as well. There was nothing left of you three."

"…!" Luna huffed and crossed her arms, a frown on her face.

"I don't mean to make him out as a monster, Luna. But…how much of what I said was a lie?"

"…"

"What was his childhood like? It would have an impact on how he views the world. Your relationship as well."

Luna ran a hand through her dark blue locks as they curled over her eyes. With a deep breath, she began to tell Lucy of what happened all those years before…

* * *

It was ten years earlier.

Emerald Coast Academy had just let out for the day, and children skipped out from the front doors. Some were scooped up by their parents and guardians, others had to wait a while for their rides to arrive on the school grounds. A good number walked home with some older children, the grand mansions that were their homes dotting the surrounding area.

A surge of warm spring weather had come to the coast, and Steven Tempest walked home alone as usual. He shrugged off the pleadings of his two elder sisters, Sakura and Luna, to wait for them so they could walk home together. Pathetic…it would make him look pathetic. He didn't need them or their 'protection'. He could handle those oversized losers on his own.

"Look here. It's ol' Spike-top." He was shoved to one side by a larger boy, a human. Joining him were several other cronies of the animal variety.

"Shouldn't have walked home alone, buddy. You know that you're in trouble when your sisters aren't around," a bull taunted. He shifted the collar of his black uniform, the standard fare for Academy students. Spike glanced at his own shirt, a glowing white. It marked him as a seventh-grader, the youngest group in the school and the most vulnerable to bullies such as these. He knew all of this.

But he was too stubborn to let it hold him back.

"Seems as if you're looking for trouble, boy." A lion shoved him to the ground, towering over his frame with a rough-looking mane of hair. Steven gulped and attempted to stand up, but his leg was kicked out from under him.

He was going to get jumped…again.

Ready to close his eyes and curl up in a ball, he waited for the next blows to come. They never came, and he saw the shadow of someone standing in front of him.

"Honestly, this is why we told you to wait."

He picked himself up and groaned at the sound of the voice. Sakura was bossy as usual, and he had no time for it. Luna touched his face to check for injuries, but he pushed her hands away and picked up his backpack.

"…"

"Leave me alone, Luna."

"That's no way to treat your sister," Sakura scolded. The curls in her hair bounced as she leaned into his face. "We save your butt again, and you act like you don't have time for us?"

"I can take care of myself."

"We know that, but only to an extent. You were outnumbered, outmuscled, outclassed…"

"I get it. I'm weak, you're strong."

"No, it's not like that." Sakura sighed and started down the dirt road. "Stevie…"

"Don't call me that. It's Spike."

The pink hedgehog rolled her eyes, brushing a stray leaf from her uniform. "Okay, _Spike_. You're my little brother. It's my duty to take care of you. Luna's too."

"We're not-"

"…!"

"Luna's right! That never mattered, we're still family! Blood relations or not, Spike."

"Whatever."

Sakura stopped and held him in a bear hug, ensuring he couldn't escape. "You're the world to us. And we all know that you'll become strong in your own way, on your own terms, and in your own time. So don't sweat it…don't be so worried about these things. I still love you."

"…!"

"See, Luna agrees!"

"Whatever…"

He broke away from her and started to walk down the road.

"Hey, listen. We sho-"

"What is it now?" He stopped when he didn't get a response. "Hey, I was…talking…"

Luna lay on the ground, bleeding from the side of her head. Spike rushed to her, hearing a scream as Sakura disappeared into the bushes on the side of the road.

"Shit! Luna…stay here, okay? Dammit…"

"…"

He elevated her head by placing his backpack under it, and then took off through the bushes after Sakura.

"Hey! Sakura! Whoever you are, you'd better-"

"What? Stop?"

Spike slid to a halt as they reached a fallen log in the woods. The leaves shielded them from the sun, darkening the area. A mask concealed the attacker's face and features as he held Sakura close to him in a headlock.

"Steven! Don't worry about me, just run! Take care of Luna!"

"Oh, don't you worry," the kidnapper snarled. "She's in good hands."

Shots rang out, causing the three to turn their heads. Sakura screamed, tears spilling down her face.

"Luna! Lunaaaaa!"

"You…you bastard…I'm gonna **kill you!**" Spike snarled.

"Noooooo! How could you! My sister! My sister…!"

"Shut up!" He smacked Sakura in the head with his gun, leaving her to fall like a rag doll to the ground.

"Sakura…you monster! You…you hurt them both!"

"And what're you gonna do about it, huh?"

"Aaaaaa**aaaaaaaaaaahhhh!**"

Spike charged the attacker, tears in his eyes. The masked man sidestepped him and threw the boy against a nearby tree, stunning him.

"It's over, kid. Later!"

He saw his life rush before him, sweat and tears pouring down his face. He couldn't save anyone. Not Sakura, not Luna…not even himself…

Just like with the bullies, just like with anyone else who threatened him, he couldn't fight back. He was weak and worthless. He…was a failure.

He was going to die a failure.

The masked man pulled the trigger in slow motion, and Spike waited for the end to come.

It never came.

Three shots rang through the air. The man fell to one knee before two bullets rammed through his head and out the other side.

Smoke rose from the gun nearby, green eyes softening as they looked over the hedgehog boy leaning against the tree.

"It's safe now. Luna is okay, and Sakura…she'll be fine. And you'll be fine, too." She gave him a soft smile, blonde hair framing her face.

"…I…couldn't…"

"It's alright."

"I couldn't…do anything," he cried. "I couldn't protect anyone…!"

The young woman pulled him close and held him there as he sobbed. She looked over at Sakura solemnly as she stirred, and at Luna who walked slowly, clutching her head.

"It was a kidnapping attempt…they probably wanted to hold you girls for ransom, or worse…simply sell you to the highest bidder."

"Wilhelmina…you really saved us," Sakura said.

"I wish I could have saved all of you."

Sakura and Lucy nodded, their hearts heavy as they watched their brother cry into the human woman's shoulder. They knew that they would never understand how he felt in those moments. All they could do was comfort him as best as they could, and give him a reason to go on. One day, he really _would_ become stronger.

No matter what they had to do, they would at least try to make that come true.

* * *

"How painful..."

"..."

Lucy stared into the dark coffee in her mug. "He must have felt so terrible. So...inadequate. I know you must have helped him in the years ahead, but that hunger...once something like that is awakened, it is impossible to stop. That kind of void cannot ever be filled once it is created. And so, his power will rise, even to overflowing...and he still will not be satisfied."

She turned her head to Luna. "I...know what is going to happen. You'll think of me bitterly for saying this."

"..."

"I think that...if given the chance, if he got any opportunity at all...I...I think that he would do something so drastic. I believe that he would go so far as to give into the Doctor's will if it meant gaining the power that he's been seeking his whole life. He...would go so far as you betray you, and Sakura, and the entire Earth."

Luna felt herself seething, her hands tensing around the coffee mug as Lucy spoke.

_But...but it's all true. He really would go that far...oh, Steven..._

"..."

"I hoped I was wrong," Lucy said softly. "In that case, this means that we need to find him as soon as possible. Before Doctor Eggman gets a chance to turn him into a puppet. However, all we can do now is wait for the others to return. Sonic, Tails, and Amy will know what to do."

Luna nodded. "..."

"Yes, I'm afraid that's all we can do for now. Wait and see..."

Lucy took another sip of her coffee as the sun illuminated the morning skies.

* * *

"And so the plot thickens."

Rouge sat on the interrogation table, filing her nails with a bored expression. Her eyes flickered back and forth between her hand and the pink hedgehog sitting across from her in a wooden chair.

Sakura was sleeping, her breaths light as she slumped downwards in the chair. Her clothes were messy and unkempt, the strain of the past day taking its toll on her both physically and mentally.

"Poor darling," Rouge said softly. She actually felt for the young woman, what with her loved ones being snatched up and possibly tortured. Stress was a given, but she had managed to endure well enough so far. It was admirable, she had to give her that much.

The mirror on the other side of the room stared back at them both, reflections illuminated by the lights installed in the ceiling. Rouge let out a breath and carefully went back to work on her nails.

"It's time, isn't it?" she asked nobody in particular.

A few seconds passed before the door opened, revealing Shadow the Hedgehog. He carried a manila folder and set it on the table near where Rouge sat.

"It seems so," Shadow answered.

Rouge nodded and hopped from her position, moving to Sakura and tapping her cheeks gently.

"Wakey, wakey. Sunshine's here," she said with a smile. Sakura nodded gratefully and rubbed her eyes, straightening herself in the chair and smoothing out her clothing. A hand ran nervously through her hair, pink drills spilling off of her shoulders.

"Coffee, tea? Or would you rather me, instead?" Rouge said playfully. Shadow rolled his eyes. It was still too early for her to be like this, he thought. And with another woman, no less.

"Um…coffee's fine," Sakura said with a blush. "Double-double, please."

"Coming up. I'll bring you breakfast, too. Need anything, Sunshine?"

Shadow shook his head as he took his own seat. "Water for me, that's all."

"You got it. Back in a few," she said with a wink. Shadow opened the manila folder as she closed the door behind her.

Silence took over the room for several minutes before the black hedgehog spoke.

"As you know by now…you're part of a threat to national security, as far as any of us involved know. Rouge has yet to give her report, but I suspect that the Commander will be curious to know why she twisted protocol for your sake. She also must have leaked data to someone else along the way to cover herself, just in case."

"Is this all relevant to me, Agent Shadow?"

"Yes. You're part of something very big, and very dangerous. I just don't know what exactly it could be, but…I have a hunch that came from something created aboard the Space Colony ARK. Do you really have…no memories of this happening to you?"

"No, nothing. I just know that I got check-ups every once in a while from Grandfather…I mean, Doctor Pearson."

"Were you two close?"

"I…really liked him. No, more than that. I loved him, the way he smiled and took care of me and…just gave me a reason to be happy. He asked me to take care of Ellie…" She tapped her fingers on the table softly. "Is she in trouble as well?"

"Not to my knowledge…she's only human, and a very ill one at that," Shadow said while looking at the papers in front of him.

"He talked a lot with her. She said that they…shared a lot of secrets. Deep secrets, things that she said she couldn't quite understand, but he said that she would 'one day'. Whatever that could mean, of course."

"Hm."

"But if anything, Wilhelmina will be around to protect her."

"Wilhelmina Lewis."

"Yes," she said with surprise. "How…?"

"Ex-Special Forces. A Green Beret," the black hedgehog replied. "She's apparently been with you a long time, and there was an incident where someone was killed. Attempted kidnapping."

"That day…I remember that day," Sakura said softly. "Steven was hurting so bad. He kept talking about power. All he cared about was getting stronger, he was obsessed with it for years. He really…started to drift away from us. Even Ellen, bless her soul…she was getting frustrated with him, even though she loved him so…"

"Power," Shadow muttered to himself. He looked back up at Sakura. "He was…obsessed, you say?"

"Yes."

"…Eggman has an IQ of three hundred and a propensity for mind games."

"You don't suppose…? No, that's not possible."

"It's very much possible. Maybe your sister has a steeled resolve, however…he might be different. The reports are in front of me, meetings with counsellors and doctors, teachers and employers…it's very easy to see where this is headed."

"No. He's not like that," Sakura protested.

"Open your eyes, girl!"

"I have them open! Don't you call my brother a traitor!" she screamed as she stood up. The chair flew backwards and fell to the floor behind her.

Blue eyes stared fiercely into Shadow's red as he sat, looking at her with indifference.

"Love is blind," he said.

"So is justice," she spat.

"And so you justify yourself with that?"

"My brother is not a monster."

"Hmph." Shadow closed his eyes. "We will see."

Rouge walked in, carrying a tray of food for Sakura and placing a bottle of water near Shadow.

"Sounds like you two have been hitting it off. I'll just be on my merry way then," she said as she set the tray on the table.

"Rouge. Have you heard anything from the kit, yet?"

"You mean our darling Miles? Mm…nothing yet, but I should-"

"See if you can contact him and get him in the labs as soon as possible. We need to break this thing open," he said while staring at Sakura. "I fear we'll be compromised if we don't get a move on."

"…"

"I got it, Shaddie." He grunted at the nickname, causing Rouge to smile in amusement. Just then, a phone started to go off inside of the room.

"It's mine," Sakura said. She reached into a skirt pocket and pulled out her mobile phone, scanning the number.

_Home…but the only other person that would be there was…_

"Hello? Luna?"

"No…sis, it's me. I…the fat man dropped me off. Said something about how he didn't need me right now. I…I dunno what to do."

"Oh…oh, oh god…Steven…Spike! I-I…stay! Just stay put, I'll get there as soon as I can! Please!"

"Y-yeah…"

"Thank you! I'll be there, don't you worry. Okay, I'll be right there!" Sakura hung up and started out of the room.

"Going home?" Shadow asked.

"My brother's there! He's alive and safe and scared! I need to go!"

"It could be a trap," Rouge warned.

"How could you-" Sakura was silenced as Rouge put a finger on her lips.

"It could be a trap…which why I'm going with you."

Shadow glared at her, but she paid him no mind. "And I'm sure Shaddie will be following us just in case."

"Don't count on it."

"Mm…not so sure about that, sugar. See you in a few," she said with a wink. "Come on, Sakura. We'll grab your stuff on the way out…"

The dark hedgehog sighed and produced a Chaos Drive, which he promptly tossed towards Rouge. The bat easily caught it from behind her back, not bothering to turn her head.

"_Gracias_, partner."

Shadow didn't say a word as she exited, instead continuing to leaf through the documents in front of him. He was certain that he was missing something from the equation, something that even the Doctor could have overlooked easily. But what?

He needed answers. And as much as he hated to admit it…with the blue hedgehog around, things would go a lot smoother in that department.

There was an unease within him…could it have to do with Rouge? Possibly, but somehow there were many other forces at play. More than he felt comfortable with.

"Steven Tempest…"

_Let's see your true colours._


	42. Power Grab, Part 3

a/n: New chapter, whoo. Thanks for reading so far, everyone. Enjoy.

* * *

Tails raced through the village of Chun-nan, looking for his two companions after he had received an urgent message.

"Hopefully they haven't gone too far," he mused. Spotting them outside of a restaurant, he sprinted towards them and came to a quick stop.

"Yo, Tails. Seems like you're in a hurry," Sonic said as he fiddled with a pair of chopsticks.

"Yeah, you could say that. I've got some news from Rouge. First off, the lab is open for me to work on the blood samples further. Second and most important is that Spike's back in Station Square."

"How?" Amy asked. "Didn't Eggman kidnap him? It smells like a trap."

"That's what everyone's thinking right now. Sakura's going, but Rouge is tagging along and Shadow will be nearby for backup."

"I guess we shouldn't have much to worry about, then," Sonic said. "But it looks like we should head home and get caught up with current events."

"Knuckles also contacted me, I guess using that computer room I set up on Angel Island. I have to decipher what he sent me, since it was very…"

"Very what?" Sonic asked.

"Very cryptic."

"Cryptic? That's not at all like Knuckles," Amy said.

"I know. That's why I have to figure this out. It sounds pretty urgent, too."

"Let's say our goodbyes, first. Then we'll motor," Sonic replied. His companions nodded as they took off together.

* * *

"Did you find anything?" Joanna asked softly. She set down a sandwich tray on the table where Vector was working, along with Espio who had found his way to the mansion after reaching shore the night before. Charmy was sleeping on one of the recliners nearby.

"It seems to match up with my recent findings," Espio said. "But we have only gotten so far in that regard. These messages are incredibly cryptic and require specific pieces of information, which we do not have."

"In other words, these were meant for one person and one person only. We can't crack this thing unless we know who that person is or was…or even what they could possibly know that we don't."

"You're saying that we need to find someone, is that it?" the woman asked.

"Yeah. Although…if it's a colleague, they probably are either old or deceased by this point in time."

"Yes…he mentioned that a few times. All the old members of his team back in his military science days are dead. Gerald Robotnik was the most famous case, clearly…but his last project he worked on alone. About the same time that he started creating the medicine for Ellie's condition."

"Is it possible that they're the same?" Espio asked.

"I wouldn't put it past him. But you can't crack that code, can you?"

"Afraid not, at least not right now. I think we're missing something," Vector said.

"We could always interrogate the Doctor. He must have much in the way of information."

"Hehe, no need for that, Esp. Check it out…remember when we popped in to bail you guys out the last time? Tails managed to slip a computer worm into Eggman's systems. If he can maybe rifle through Eggman's data, then we could get enough detail to crack this puzzle."

"There are also several sets of numbers near the end of each of the journals," Espio said as he flipped through Ellen's version. "I wonder if they have any significance."

"We can try and get to that once we get some headway on the rest of this case. Hold on a second," Vector said as he produced a ringing phone. "This is Vector. Uh-huh…well, that's a relief. Yeah, we can make it over in a flash. I've got things that you need to hear too, buddy. Yup…okay. See ya."

"That was Tails, I presume."

"Yeah. The three of 'em are back from China, and I got from him that the Spike character you were looking for is back at his sister's in Station Square."

"Steven's safe…thank goodness," Joanna said with a sigh.

"Sakura and Rouge are going to meet him, along with Shadow as backup," Espio stated.

"Sounds solid. I guess we should head out, see how Mighty's doing and take care of some more things at the office."

"Agreed," the chameleon said. "Miss Pearson, we thank you for your hospitality."

Joanna smiled. "Anytime, boys. Come back whenever you need to…my door's always open."

Vector picked up the sleeping Charmy and left with Espio for their next destination.

"I suppose things are looking up, aren't they?"

"Mom?"

Ellen groggily stepped into the study, rubbing her eyes free of sleep. "Everything okay?"

"It's fine, dear. They've found Steven, and Luna's safe. Sakura's on her way home to pick Steven up…"

"That's great! They'll be together again."

"Yes…they will be. And you'll be okay, won't you?"

"Yup," Ellen said with a smile. "Like you said, it'll all work out."

"Right."

"Madam Joanna," a voice called from the hall. "You have a visitor."

"Oh, that's right. Ellie, I'll be back in a while."

"Okay, Mom. I love you."

Joanna blew her daughter a kiss. "I love you too, muffin." The red-head was now left in the study by herself, surrounded by shelves of books as a dim light cast its glow over her. Grandfather had made it bright enough for reading and writing, but nothing more. She felt it gave a bit of ambience to the room either way.

She saw her journal, or rather her grandfather's journal, which carried strange and cryptic messages that she hadn't been able to figure out. Beside it was another journal – it must have belonged to Mom, she thought.

_I wonder if he wrote the same things in her copy…_

Curious, she opened the first page and saw strange sets of numbers underneath his daily writings. They probably meant something to him…wait.

"Wait…wait, wait, wait."

Ellen hurriedly flipped open the first page of her journal.

"_Interesting changes have occurred in the past year. My research for the proper balance has only begun…today was filled with many meeting and there was not much in the way of time once we got to the equipment…"_

"November 12," she read aloud.

"…_only minor setbacks. They are of no concern…"_

November 21, she read from her mother's copy. Strange. And the dates in hers went forward, while the dates in her mother's went backwards in increments of two, then forwards in increments of three. So the next date was November 19, but the day after that was November 22. There were strange sets of numbers below each entry, and she found that her mother's copy of the journal had shorter messages than hers did. Most of it was numbers. One part was binary. The other part was…what was it?

"Ugh, I'm…so close. Grandfather…"

Some numbers repeated themselves, and there were a few mathematical equations thrown into the lines of numbers…it didn't make sense! It couldn't…possibly…

_I know…it's right there, I know what this is…_

"Cipher text," she gasped. The numbers went no higher than five. Any of the equations was supposed to be solved after finding out what the variable equalled…and she could see it.

That was why the dates were out of order – they were the variables to each of the equations. They were all solvable after inputting the day of the month each time. The key to the ciphers was embedded in her journal; the ciphers themselves were present in her mother's journal.

"Paper…need paper."

She found a stack of foolscap paper nearby and a No. 2 pencil, her hands shaking as she set them down and placed the journals out on the table.

Ellen put the pencil to paper, and from there, nobody could stop her.

* * *

Sonic, Tails, and Amy landed in front of the workshop after a Chaos Control.

"Sheesh…your place took a real beating, didn't it?" Sonic said to Tails.

"Yeah. It's all good, though."

"Yeah, everyone's safe for the most part. What about the Tornado?"

"Almost there with that one," he said as they walked inside. "Just need to make a few more connections and install some surge protection, then write a few programs for the operations and maintenance…"

"Wow. How long'll that take?"

"I'll be done before lunch. No biggie," he said with a shrug. Sonic laughed and mussed up the fur on the fox's head.

"You're one of a kind, bro. One of a kind."

"Thanks, Sonic." _It's good to have you back…_

"Yo, Blue."

"Mighty! Sounded like you were having a rough time out there, man."

"Something like that, yeah," the armadillo said with a grin. "But I made it out, and scrapped all three of 'em."

"That's what I like to hear, buddy."

"What about you? Are you alright, Sonic?"

"Well, Espio had to rescue me from myself, and I socked it to Eggman pretty good beforehand…maybe a little too well," he said. "I just need to keep my temper in check."

"You had your reasons."

Sonic shook his head. "Nah. If I were to do that again, I might put you guys in a bad spot. I'd never forgive myself for that happening. Even if Eggman pushes my buttons, that's no excuse to go wild."

"I guess…"

"Hey," Sonic said as he put a hand on Mighty's shoulder, "don't worry too much about me. I'll figure it out in time."

"Right. You always do, don't you?"

"No doubt." He turned to look for someone else. "Hm. Lucy's not around?"

"She's upstairs. Oh, have you met Luna yet?"

"Nope. You guys got her out okay, that's awesome. Spike's back, too."

"No way, really?"

"Yup. And his big sis is going down to meet him. Rouge is tagging along, so that should be okay. So, where's…?"

Mighty spun and searched for the girl, scratching his head in confusion. "I…huh. She was here a moment ago."

"…"

A head poked out from behind the kitchen entrance, charcoal eyes watching the new visitors intensely.

"Oh, there she is," Amy said. "There's no need to be shy, Luna."

"…"

Amy walked over and took her hand, dragging her along against her will with little effort. "Now, just relax and introduce yourself."

"…"

"So, this is the girl we were working so hard to rescue?" Sonic asked, cracking a smile. "Totally worth the effort, I think."

"…!"

The girl promptly fainted, falling into Amy's arms.

"Real smooth, Casanova," Tails quipped.

"What? What'd I do?"

"It's not like he can help being so charming, Tails," Amy said in his defence. "I probably should have mentioned that she has a crush on you…but then I would have had to mention that you're already taken."

"Oh? Taken, am I?"

Amy gave him a look. "Yes, you're quite taken at the moment."

"Heh, she's assertive. I like that," he said with another smile.

"Sonic."

"Lucy, hey! What's going on?"

"Things are not as calm as they seem, Sonic."

He looked at her curiously. "You're thinking that the whole thing with Spike is rigged, huh?"

"Yes, but not in the way that you'd think."

Sonic's eyes darkened. "You're thinking…"

"What?" Amy asked. "What's going on?"

"Tails, can you get to Rouge or Shadow?"

"I can. Why, something wrong?" he asked.

"Lucy, do you think he'd…harm Sakura?"

"…I'm not sure," the olive hedgehog said. "Luna might be able to give you a better picture."

"You guys are talking about Eggman," Amy said. Worry crossed her face when she got no reply. "You _are_ talking about Eggman, aren't you?"

Mighty shrugged in response.

"Nobody's up to a Chaos Control, huh?" Sonic asked.

Everyone shook their heads.

"Can we at least warn Shadow?"

"If they're not already there by now," Tails replied. "I'll try."

"Sonic…you don't think…"

"Anything's possible, Ames. Though I'm not exactly liking these developments myself…I mean, dude was a jerk but not even I thought he'd go this far."

"…"

Luna opened her eyes, nodding gratefully towards Amy before standing up shakily.

"…"

"You okay? Sorry if I turned up the charm too much, heh," Sonic quipped.

"…"

"That's true. Anyways…I wanted to ask you about-"

"…"

"Oh, so you know, huh? Well, I'm sorry, but we have to stop him. I'm not about to let someone innocent get hurt."

"…"

"Yeah. We'll try to go easy on him. Tails, you got Shadow on the line yet?"

"Yup," he said while typing on the interface of the Magic Cannon. "He's on the speaker."

"Is there something you need?"

"Well, hello to you too," Sonic shot back. "I take it that you're having a good day? Probably better than mine at any rate," he said as he rubbed his neck.

"I have many misgivings about what I'm doing right now, but yes. I'm just peachy, Hedgehog."

"Sweet. Well, I think you need to keep a good close eye on Sakura and Rouge."

"Already on it. This guy sounds like a loose cannon."

"He _is_ a loose cannon. We've all called a double-cross coming up, so keep those two away from Spike."

"Easier said than done," the black hedgehog muttered. "Sakura's bent on seeing him, and there's nothing that he can do to either of them before I step in."

"…Sounds like you've got everything covered," Amy said.

"Naturally," Shadow said smugly. "I'll give you the details when we get back to base."

"I suppose…"

"Shadow, out." The line went dead.

"…"

Sonic turned to Lucy, who turned to Amy, who turned to Tails, who turned to Mighty, who turned to Luna.

She sighed and simply gave the blue hedgehog a nod.

"Amy…Chaos Emerald."

The Emerald was placed into his outstretched hand.

"Tails?"

"You'll be able to make both trips. I'll stay with Luna and Mighty on Angel Island while I talk to Knuckles. You, Amy and Lucy should head to Sakura's place in Station Square."

"Objections?"

Nobody spoke.

"Right, then. Let's juice."

Sonic focused himself, drawing energy from the Chaos Emerald as sparks of light jumped out from it. His hand tightened around the gem, sweat starting to run down his face and muscles tensing.

_Just like riding a bike…_

"**Chaos…Control!**"

* * *

"Spike! Hey, it's me! Spike!"

Sakura opened the door to her home, a modest townhouse near the city's largest park. She waved Rouge in first, allowing the agent to check for any possible threats inside.

"Clear," she said.

"Clear, no outside threats," Shadow replied through her earpiece.

"Copy that. Come on in, Sakura."

"Thanks," the pink hedgehog said. "Spike? I'm here with a G.U.N Agent. Listen, there's nothing to be afraid of. We're both safe, okay?"

"No…some of us are safer than others," a strange voice replied.

"What…?"

"That's not-"

Sakura stopped as she felt something hit her in the neck. She pulled out a dart, emptied of a strange liquid.

"H-huh…? Wait…wait, Steven…"

"Freeze, dirtbag!" Rouge yelled as she brought her Browning pistol forward. Sakura fell to the ground, unconscious.

Spike dropped the dart gun immediately, putting his hands up.

"What the hell's your game?" she said, anger tinting her voice. "Your own sister…"

"You should pay attention to your surroundings," he said calmly.

"Don't be smart with me," she shot back.

"And by your surroundings…I mean your partner's too."

Shadow tensed and dodged a metal fist coming his way as it smashed the roof where he lay.

"Metal!" He charged a fist with energy and rammed it through the robot's body. Using his feet, he pushed the robot off with a burst of flame from his Air Shoes, the machine flying into the air and exploding in a shower of shrapnel.

_No, that wasn't…? A fake?_

His eyes widened. "**Rouge! Get out of there!**"

"…Sorry about that. But you were in my way, bat woman," Spike said. He emerged from the shadows, clad in a black shirt and jeans.

"Ah…ah…"

She gasped for air, clutching at the bloody claw that pierced her chest. The robot threw her off and into a nearby wall, leaving her twitching as she fell. Her blood flowed to the ground, soaking into the carpet.

"I…I…"

"Good luck, babe. I think you'll need it. Yo," he said to the crimson robot. "Time to bounce."

A bright cone of light enveloped the two, Spike hauling Sakura over his shoulder as he and Metal Knuckles started to disappear.

"Amy!"

"I got 'em!"

"What?"

But before they left completely, two hedgehogs grabbed hold of Metal Knuckles - one pink, the other olive.

It was a split second later that the five of them vanished into thin air.


	43. Power Grab, Part 4

a/n: Another one up. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

"Ugh…not the best move back there…"

Sonic slowly picked himself up from the concrete, his body aching all over. He was running on fumes…heck, pretty much everyone was, besides Lucy who was the best of the lot. He would have gone after Metal Knuckles and Spike himself, but Amy was in far better shape despite her injuries.

He stumbled through the front door of Sakura's home, watching as Shadow tried to stabilize Rouge. She had been run through by something…

"What the heck…"

She coughed and her body twitched in bursts as the shock took over her. Shadow furrowed his brow and placed a hand over the wound, feeling the blood soak into his glove and stain it crimson. He had to do something, even though _that_ technique wasn't yet completed…

"Shadow, is she-"

"Shut up."

The black hedgehog spoke with authority, yet Sonic noticed the cracks in his voice. He was struggling to keep it all together.

"I need to focus. You will not say another word."

Sonic nodded as Shadow's hand pulsed with green energy. He grunted with effort as the space around the gaping wound started to distort itself.

"Almost there…almost…"

A bright flash erupted from Shadow's hand, and he released it from Rouge's chest. The white bat still trembled, but her breathing was improved. The only evidence that she had been stabbed was left in the large hole that punched through her heart-shaped breastplate, and the blood surrounding the jagged edges.

She rolled onto her back, still breathing heavily.

"Oi, Shadow…that was…wow," Sonic breathed out.

"…It was still in its experimental phases. Something I wanted to develop for the battlefield in the future. It has far to go before it reaches perfection."

"Heh, well…it worked out pretty swell this time."

"No…I wasn't fast enough. I was out of position and-"

"Shadow…" Rouge reached up and placed a hand on his cheek. "Please, don't…blame yourself. You didn't know it would be that way."

"But I should have been prepared!"

"Sometimes…there's nothing we can do but weather the storms as they come. You can't prepare for everything."

"…"

"She's right," Sonic added. "The important thing is that she's okay, and so are we…for now, at least."

Shadow looked around the room, red eyes scanning for any possible clues. He found the empty dart on the floor nearby and picked it up, warping it into a storage area for later analysis. It would likely come in handy at some point.

"So…what's the 411?" Sonic asked while crouching. He rubbed his eyes, feeling fatigue start to take over.

"Spike's taken Sakura, Amy and Lucy are now wherever he is, which could be anywhere," Shadow said. "I could try a Chaos Trace, but…I don't know what could happen if I'm off."

"Better not to risk it. Tails is on Angel Island with Knuckles, Mighty, an' Luna." Sonic looked up at Shadow. "You think he might try and head there?"

"It's not outside the realm of possibility."

"Man…that bites, then."

"The kid's up on the island? That'll make things a lot easier, then."

Sonic looked over at Rouge, who leaned back against the nearby wall. "What'cha mean by that?"

"I gave Knuckles a few things to relay to Tails."

"Ah, I see. That's why he was being so strange in those messages. What's it all about?"

"I…can't say out loud. Needless to say that it's very important."

"I guess I'll know about it when the time comes, huh?"

"Afraid so, Big Blue."

Sonic smiled. "No worries. I'll just keep myself busy in the meantime. Just hope that Lucy and Ames are doing okay…"

"I can see why you didn't volunteer to go," Shadow noted. "You look like hell."

"It took a lot out of me to push through that Chaos Control. Everyone else was out of it," Sonic said as he rubbed his eyes again.

"We're already running ourselves ragged…and the real fight hasn't even started yet," Shadow said wearily. "But we don't have time to regroup."

"So where to next, then?"

"We need to talk to the Chaotix again," Rouge suggested. "Ask them about their client."

"You mean that girl who knew Sakura and 'em?"

"The same. Maybe she knows something that'll bust this wide open."

"Sounds like a plan. Shads?"

Shadow nodded. "No objections. Let's go…oh, and Hedgehog?"

"Yeah?"

Shadow gathered energy into his hand. "Don't call me that again."

"Aye-aye, Shads."

The black hedgehog simply glared at his counterpart before snapping his fingers. In a flash of light, the three heroes were gone.

* * *

Amy opened her eyes to bright light, covering her face with one arm as she rose from the ground. Wherever she was, it was incredibly cold for some reason.

Taking a look at her surroundings, she noticed that everything around was metallic, and the ceiling was quite high. It reminded her of an airplane hangar. Lights shone down from the rafters above her head, illuminating everything. And it was then that her eyes focused onto the structures in front of her.

"Whoa."

Tails had talked to her about these boxes lined up throughout the area, known as computer racks. They housed servers and telecommunications equipment of all kinds in a controlled environment, and consisted of rugged, durable equipment.

Amy walked down the seemingly endless aisles of rack, seeing them tower high above her with lights flashing on and off. Cooling fans whirred endlessly within each rack, and the noise of what seemed like thousands blended together in an irritating white noise.

As she walked on, the numbers and types of equipment began to change. Now it started to look like a large and open laboratory, with chemicals being mixed within several different machines. Long lines of tubing snaked across the floor and underneath tables. Hazardous waste bags were gathered in several different places and filled with discarded tools. They included needles, scalpels, scissors, and bandages, among other mysterious objects.

Everything smelled disturbingly clean, causing Amy to shudder as she walked on. The frequency of the machines increased, and she began to see fully loaded workstations. Desktop space was separated into large cubicles, with old printers and copiers in every available space. Monitors were left on and running, lines of program scrawling across each screen. It became warmer for a moment before returning to an unmanageably cold temperature. Amy found herself in front of a massive computer screen, a thick, freezing cold fog enveloping it.

She wiped a bit of frost from one of the keyboards and pressed the 'Enter' key. Immediately, the machines all whirred to life, their sounds becoming louder than before. Bunsen burners started on their own, emitting hot jets of flame and boiling the vials of liquid that sat above them.

"Izanagi…?"

Amy whispered the name that appeared on the large screen in front of her. She peeked out behind the large machine and noticed someone nearby. She was on her knees, looking up at something sadly.

"Lucy…"

Walking over to the girl, she saw something strange ahead. They looked like…capsules for experiments.

_Like the ones they held Shadow in on the ARK…_

Right now, they were empty. Lights on the raised platform blinked on and off in different colours as she neared Lucy. The olive hedgehog was staring up into one of the empty glass containers, a painful feeling in her heart.

"Lucy? Are you…?"

"Amy," she said in surprise, snapping her head towards the pink hedgehog. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you were here. I thought we were separated for good."

"Me too. Are you okay?"

"This place…it holds so many impossible things to describe. This is what it looks like when completed…"

Amy looked over at the aisles of equipment that stretched to the other end of the hangar, mirroring the place she had just walked through. "Completed?"

"The place…this was the place where I…"

"…"

"I was created here. I was made a monster in this place, in my time…"

"Lucy, you're not a monster. You're you."

"Amy, you can't deny that fact. I'm not normal anymore."

"Don't say that. Listen to me, you're okay. You're not some monster or just an experiment. You're someone with their own thoughts and feelings, with a good heart and willingness to help people. Lucy, you mean something to me. Maybe…maybe it's the connection you have with my future self…I can somehow feel something when I'm near you. It makes me want to protect you from anything that could harm you, Lucy."

"Amy…"

"I'll be there for you, no matter what. Because…I want you to be happy." Amy took Lucy's hand in hers. "So please…don't worry about what happened in the past. I'm here for you now."

"Thank you, Amy. I…"

"_If you have found this place, I am by now dead and buried. My secrets lie with me in my tomb, but here as well. Here for your ears to hear, and for your eyes to regard if you possess the key."_

"What's that?" Amy asked. The voice seemed to be coming from everywhere at once…it sounded old and weary.

"_The key is closer than you think. She is kind and gracious to all who she passes. Kind even to the monsters I have created."_

"…" Lucy listened on nervously.

"_I had great power in my hands. The power to create beings of unimaginable power. The ability to terrorize the Earth with these creations. I have seen the scourge of war, experienced it first hand. The bombings of Japan. The atrocities of Rwanda. The suffering of people all across the planet for years upon years. _

"_My time is coming to an end now, but then…back then I hated the idea of this planet, of these wretched human beings. So I set out to create weapons to end the evil that plagued this planet. I left the team of Gerald Robotnik, noble as his research was. I did not want him to despair over my fall into madness. The military still thought of me as myself, but I did not wish to create for their purposes, no. My own selfish desires were my goal._

"_It was a time of cleansing…a time where I cleansed myself of my darkness and hatred through these creations. Three innocent hedgehogs, only the first…the outlet for my hatred of this world._

"_I remembered the story of Izanagi, one of the great gods of Japanese mythos. He too wandered into the darkness of the underworld, desperate to save something he loved. But when he saw the ruined face of his beloved just, as I saw my beloved world crumble…he lost his nerve and left her for good. _

"_On his return to the living world, he cleansed himself of the darkness of Yomi. From his left eye, he begat the Sun goddess, Amaterasu. From the right, the moon god Tsukuyomi. And from his nose, he begat the storm god Susano'o._

"_As he did, so I have done. Gerald wished to bring hope to humanity, while I was content with wiping it out if it meant peace in this world. But I was not sure how far I could go with this plan of mine. My wife and children…even my grandchildren. I thought of them each moment. My decision was to ask the government to shut down the program…for the most part. It was still to be kept open just in case, and that time almost came when the ARK was set to destroy the Earth. But they were not needed…in fact, it was better that Gerald's final solution was stopped, because my first experiments did not survive their reawakening. Neither did the second set during the attack of the Black Arms, though I knew they were failures from the start and meant to give them peaceful ends."_

"Wow…this is…"

Amy stood listening to the man speak, his tired voice echoing off of the walls. He sounded so sad…like he had lost so much of himself in those years he must have spent here.

"_I continued this…for her. For my Ellen, because she was sick. And I found three subjects with exceptional compatibility. The program has been going on for years…I changed my aim for my creations. They would no longer have the Earth or her people in their sights. No, they would be made to protect this planet and those who inhabited it. But most of all, they would be the key to making my granddaughter whole again. She has been so sick all of this time…and so, I did the only thing I could. Those three are the key to making her better, and at the same time, I have left my legacy in that girl. I have made her the key that will release the powers of those three children. I have never seen them truly awakened, and I probably never will. But if she can find the things I left her, if she can reach this place with them in hand…she will be saved. I want her to find this place, and to understand her purpose. I want her to be the guardian of life on Earth, because of her pure heart. She has done nothing but love people her whole life. Even a broken, delusional old man like me. _

"_I have brought darkness unto this world and I have sealed it away. I…do not have much time. I have defied those who wished to take this power from me, for so long…but I no longer have the strength to run. My death is coming…sooner than it should be. But I cannot be saved. And I must atone for my sins in the past._

"_I leave not knowing if I have done all that I can for her…for my precious Ellen. But I know that I have tried, and I can only hope that…she lives a full and happy life. She is the light of my world."_

"Ellen," Lucy whispered.

"Ellen," Amy repeated softly.

"_It is her heart that will make this…all complete…"_

The sound of static echoed out soon after. Amy and Lucy stood in front of the glass capsules, staring at them silently.

"This place…is what Eggman's been looking for," Amy said as she broke the stillness. "He'd probably be able to get all the info he needed here."

"But then…how did **we** end up here?" Lucy asked.

"It must have been something from when we teleported with those two creeps…"

"Now, that's not very nice to say, is it?"

"Wh-" Amy was sent flying by a punch, sliding across the floor before performing a backflip and landing on her feet, Piko Piko Hammer at the ready. Lucy quickly backed up and drew her combat knife as Spike approached them. He looked…strange. His arms were extremely muscular and veins were bulging out of them. A sinister look crossed his face as he stared down the two girls.

"You know, I _hate_ when people make fun of me like that, but it was just a reflex. So sorry about that. I'm a little aggressive right now."

"A little, he says. Hmph," Amy replied as she took a position beside Lucy, wiping the trickle of blood from her mouth. "Maybe I should give you a little 'love tap' in return, eh?"

"Hey, hey…calm down, okay? You wouldn't want our friend to get hurt, would you?"

"What…what are you talking about, Spike?" Amy demanded.

He smirked and snapped his fingers. The platform with the capsules rose up and rotated, revealing a familiar form…

"Sakura!" Amy screamed. "You bastard, how could you? Let her go!"

"You see, I can't do that. Because I need something from her. I need absolute power, and with her help, I'll achieve that. More than this measly boost of power," Spike said while flexing his muscles.

"You…you're sick," Lucy spat.

"Me? Sick? No, dear. Someone else is sick. A special little girl, and any moment now she should find out her grandfather's secrets. The Doctor and I will make sure she finds her way, of course."

Amy growled, staring at Sakura as she was suspended in the capsule, a clear liquid surrounding her body. Her pink hair spread out and drifted in the fluid freely, eyes closed as if she were dead to the world.

"Her consciousness is suspended right now. I mean, you could break her out, but…"

"But _what_?" Amy snarled, daring to take a step forward.

"Well, she could like…_die_, or something equally bad."

"…"

"Relax…once all of the players are here, then we'll begin. It'll be fun…"

Amy kept her eyes locked onto Spike as he spoke, reaching behind her back and bringing her mobile phone out of sleep mode. Silently, she took one of Lucy's hands and guided it to her back, brushing it over the touch screen.

"Mm," she replied softly.

"How good are you?"

"I can figure it out quickly…"

"Contact Tails. Tell him where we are and what's happening, and see if he can't use the phone to get inside of those computers or whatever. Maybe we can free Sakura."

"Spike won't-"

"I know."

Lucy clutched her friend's wrist tightly. "You can't."

"I have to. You can navigate this better than I can."

"He'll…he'll do terrible things to you, Amy. I can't let you…in your condition…"

"I have to, Lucy. If he gets both of us, nobody will know what's happened."

"Amy…"

"I'll be okay. Please…you have to go."

Lucy nodded in resignation. "…I will."

"Thank you…I believe in you, Lucy. It'll all work out, I promise."

"I…Amy…"

Knowing that she had no more time for words, Lucy grabbed the phone from Amy's hand and kissed her on the cheek. She took off in a sprint, and not a moment later, Spike started to give chase. Amy charged into his path and elbowed him into a nearby cubicle, smashing the equipment inside to pieces.

The green hedgehog simply chuckled and rose to his feet, orange eyes shining with malice.

"I'm going to enjoy this, aren't I?"

"You wanted a fight, you've got one."

"Oh, really? I saw you earlier…you're not in the best shape, Amy Rose."

Amy ignored him and held her hammer out with one hand.

"For my friends, my family…for the man I love…I'll fight to the last breath. So you can come and get some, Spike Tempest."

Spike grunted, noting the determination etched into Amy's green eyes. She'd be a tough one…

In a blur of pink, Amy rushed forward.

"**Time to go wild!**"


	44. Power Grab, Part 5: The Carnage

__a/n: This chapter is hectic, so I thought I'd really try something with the way I wrote it. Let me know what you think.

Thanks for reading, and enjoy this next one.

* * *

_Have you ever been through the darkness?_

_Have you known madness, known what it was like to have all of those amazing and impossible thoughts run through your mind?_

_What does it feel like?_

"It's strange."

_Understand those feelings. Embrace them. Use them to shape the power you hold in your hands._

_You are the key, Ellen._

_You are the key to the mysterious door that lies in front of us all, though we don't know it._

_And only you decide what is behind that door. What you want to be there. What you need to be there._

"Is this…salvation?"

_You may choose what becomes of this world. I have given you my inheritance. The tools of destruction._

The television lit up in front of her, images flashing before here eyes. Images of war, fighting, crime, famine, destruction. Indifference and idle talk. What was she looking for? A glimmer of hope? Was this world worth sacrificing the gift he had given her?

Her hair was nearly white by now, slivers of red shining though occasionally. Blue eyes stared into the lines of the television, breaking the colours into fragments that she could see floating around her. The sounds filtered through her ears, pitch, tone, and timbre all separating inside of her mind. She could see everything, touch it, and decipher it.

Everything was displayed in front of her, burning brightly in vivid colours. The air tasted sweet on her tongue, felt cool as it slipped up her nose and down her windpipe.

She walked towards the television and pressed a hand upon the flat screen, feeling tingles of electricity flow through her.

"Ellie?"

The world was rushing by in colours she had never seen before, never experienced in her life. She could see _everything_. It was all open, all real, and possible. She knew so many secrets that had simply revealed themselves to her, because of that man.

"Grandfather…"

He opened up her world once more, from beyond the grave.

"Ellie, are you okay?"

She saw now, understood what her choice would be, what it had to be now. This world was changing, twisting, turning. Burning in self-made flames of malice and hatred. Taking the fire, she would shape it into a weapon of cleansing. The Earth's salvation was coming, and she would bring it swiftly, surely, without a doubt. She wanted to change the world so badly, wanted to see happiness and growth. Emotions and feelings of all sorts rushed to her aching body.

Time…there was no time. He sacrificed his time for hers, no…no, not in that way. His time went into making more time for her. Yes, that made more sense. It was flawless, and she knew, she _knew_ where she had to go and how to get there and how everything would work, how everything was simply waiting for her because it needed the key to be turned.

And she was the key.

"Ellie, I'm coming in."

Execution. How to bring all of the components together at once? How to make it all complete, and how to make more time? Time, she needed it. Craved it.

The last strand of red hair changed to white. She coughed into her hand and held it to the light.

Blood.

It tasted so different now. So much more…colourful?

It wasn't black. Not like Sakura's.

_Closer to you…_

Maybe she could understand her pain. Their pain.

Then all of that would disappear forever.

A metallic taste filled her mouth, and her mind with understanding.

She knew how to set everything in motion.

She would be the catalyst for it all.

_If I should die before I wake,_

"Ellie!" Joanna opened the door quickly. "Goodness, you scared me…!"

_I pray thee, Lord, my soul to take._

"Mama…I'm sorry."

Ellen let go of the threads that held her body together. Blue eyes rolled upwards into her skull, breathing slowed to a halt, heartbeat went out of rhythm. Muscles gave in and she collapsed to the wooden floor like a broken marionette.

"…Ellen…"

Reality set in, blood leaking from the girl's mouth as her body twitched.

The woman looked on helplessly and screamed.

"Someone…help…help me…**help me…helphelphelphelphelphelp!** **Ellen! Ellen!**"

* * *

"Hold on a moment, I can get this."

"Please hurry, Miles! I…Amy might not hold out much longer!"

Desperation was beginning to set in. Lucy had run to the other end of the area, hands shaking as she held the phone in them. The only comfort she felt was in the fox child's voice, but even that didn't seem like enough. She needed more.

She needed to know that Amy was safe.

The aforementioned pink hedgehog vaulted backwards over a server rack. The breeze from her movements filtered through her tattered red dress, a sudden coolness brushing against her peachy skin. She landed on the heels of her red boots and dashed off to her left, dodging an attack from the green hedgehog that followed her.

Her green eyes met his orange defiantly, lips parting to take a breath before shooting down another aisle of equipment. Spike followed, muscles bulging and pulsing as his anger increased. Amy could faintly feel the power flowing from his body, wild and unmanageable.

"He's getting stronger with each moment," she said to herself.

Buying time was fine, but she didn't want her advantage over him to dwindle. It was an unknown gap…not smart to risk it.

She saw an empty wall. Perfect.

Her direction changed, boots digging into the cold metal floor as she accelerated forward in a rush of pink. Her hand palmed his chest before she shoved him forcefully, his back slamming into the steel wall. He howled in pain and slowly started to rise, but Amy reached his position first.

"You should just give up now. No matter what you've done to yourself, you can't beat me."

"You…!"

He surged forward, hands reaching for the girl's throat. Her hair floated in the air as she swiftly stepped to one side, grabbing his arm tightly.

"I'm not as good as Sonic, but I'm more than good enough to beat you. Just stop it, Spike."

"The hell do you think you are?"

"Someone who's concerned about you and your sisters. You don't need to do this."

He looked into her eyes, only seeing pity where she wanted him to see compassion. He jerked about in her grip, but that only allowed her time to slap him across the face and toss him to the ground.

"Stop it! You're not going to get anywhere like this!" she yelled.

"Are you almost there, Miles?"

Tails' fingers flew across the keyboard. "Nearly. Just that there's a jammer in the immediate area. You guys must be behind some seriously heavy security. Probably like a military base, or something."

"Military…"

"If I can just triangulate your location, I'll have an idea of where to go from there by using satellite imaging to identify the area. Then by accessing any immediate networks in the area, I can find out exactly what's going on. Lucy, you said that you were in some kind of laboratory, or something?"

"Sort of. One part's filled with data equipment…some of it is what I remember from my time, but there are even bigger machines here…"

"Bigger?"

"Yes, about twice or even three times the size of the modern ones."

"What's going on?"

Mighty, Knuckles and Luna all peeked over Tails' shoulders at the screen ahead. The four were huddled inside of the hut used to house computer equipment on Angel Island. Tails had gifted it to the red echidna as a means of keeping in touch, as well as a way for him to get work done while visiting with Sonic.

Angel Island's height made it a great asset for extensive tracking and spying, Tails found. He had sent up several satellites months earlier so that he could cover more ground, and they were coming in handy now.

"I'm trying to find Lucy's location, Mighty. Using cell phone towers would do the trick but security is tight. If I figure out where she and Amy are, then I'll have an easier time breaking into whatever network they're near."

"Why would you want to break in?"

"Lucy didn't say, but I trust her judgement. She's telling me that Amy's in trouble, and I don't doubt it for a second."

"Where's Sonic?"

"Didn't go with them. My guess is that he's with Shadow-" A loud beep interrupted him.

"What's that?" Knuckles asked.

"Transmission from…Shadow! This is Tails!"

"Prower, something's amiss."

"No doubt," Tails said with a frown. "Lucy and Amy are stuck in some kind of facility and I'm trying to figure out their location. Is Sonic with you? Is he okay?"

"The hedgehog's fine. We have bad news via the Chaotix. The Pearson girl went into a coma just a few minutes ago."

Luna gasped and drew back, her hands covering her mouth.

"You mean Ellen," Tails said sadly. "What happened?"

"Nobody knows. But the gist of it is that shortly before, she decoded several messages from her grandfather's journals, messages that her mother didn't know were even there."

"…" Tails switched his attention to Lucy as the program on his screen finished locating the phone signal. "Lucy, I need you again. Is it at all possible for you to tell me what's been going on down there?"

"We…teleported here with Metal Knuckles, but we haven't seen him at all, only Spike. He's fighting Amy…I think she's fine for now, but he's…he's strange. His arms are massive and he looks so different from before…"

"Is there anyone else there?"

"Sakura…is in a capsule, floating in some sort of liquid. This place is the same place where I was experimented on in my time. I can just…feel it somehow."

Tails frowned and looked at the data on his map. "Not listed…? Darn, need the closest…okay. That was fast. Lucy, anything else…?"

"An old man started talking…about Ellen and how she was the key…I don't know, Gerald or whoever, and Izanagi, and destruction…"

"Gerald?" Tails repeated.

"Gerald! As in Robotnik, you mean?" Knuckles asked.

"Yes…that was the name…"

"Knuckles, that information you gave to me…it's adding up. Rouge was right, this has a lot to do with a government cover-up. Just like with Professor Robotnik!" Tails cried.

"But you said that they were working at the same time, just about," Mighty cut in. "Why would you need more than one Ultimate Lifeform?"

"…I think I know why. G.U.N originally shut down the ARK because they were scared of what Gerald was doing. This…might have been their _other_ contingency plan."

"Miles…can you shut this place down, somehow?" Lucy asked nervously.

The fox cracked his knuckles and took a deep breath. "I can try. I know that this site is connected to G.U.N and it's right below their official headquarters."

"You're sure about that, Prower?" Shadow said.

"I'm positive."

Sonic listened to the conversation as he paced around the Chaotix' office, which was currently empty. The detectives had taken off in a hurry towards the Pearson Manor earlier.

"G.U.N HQ, huh?"

"To think that they had something like that hidden away, right under our noses," Rouge said as she sat on Vector's desk.

"…"

_If the…wait. Spike's there. Metal Knuckles isn't, and Amy got dumped with Lucy in that lab place that Tails was talking about. If only one of them is there, then-_

"Son of a bitch…!" Sonic yelled suddenly.

"What?"

"Eggman's at G.U.N!"

"What? How?" Rouge demanded.

"Think about it! Spike took Sakura, along with the 'bot, Amy, and Lucy when they got there. Not _once_ has Lucy mentioned Metal Knuckles! Five people left Sakura's place, and only four show up again?"

"Shit," the black hedgehog muttered. "Then there's no time left!"

"What do we do _now_?" Knuckles asked. "Eggman's already beaten us to the punch."

"…No. No, not yet," Tails said. "Eggman can't do anything without the key, and I think I know _exactly_ what this supposed key is. Or rather, _who_ it is."

"Who? We're looking for a person?" Mighty asked.

"Yeah."

"We should get in there and smash that place to bits before Eggman gets in there!" Sonic shouted over the air.

"No! We can't, we don't know what will happen to Sakura!" Lucy shouted back.

"Lucy's right, she's in some kind of stasis from I hear. Amy's also deliberately avoiding any kind of attacks that will damage the equipment in there. Spike's doing the same, so he obviously needs her for whatever he's planning," Tails pointed out.

"Well, we have to do _something_," Sonic said impatiently. "There's no sense in sitting around while the whole's world's going to hell!"

Shadow's communicator started to flash red. "New message?"

"Shadow."

"Espio."

"Something has happened. Ellen Pearson has not arrived at the hospital, and the helicopter used to transport her has vanished. No radio contact can be established," the chameleon stated with composure.

Shadow growled. "You think it could be _him_?"

"I have very little doubt it could be anyone else."

"Sonic, you said that Eggman is at G.U.N?" Shadow asked.

"If he's not there, he's _moving_ there right now. But that freaky robot's definitely in-"

"Base to Shadow, come in!"

"This is Agent Shadow."

"HQ is in distress. We need you to assist Omega in defending the area and neutralizing any present threats," a female voice said, considerably calmer after his reply.

"Copy that. I need to know if there's any way to access the hidden underground base used for Doctor Nicholas Pearson's research."

"Negative, Agent. That falls under restricted Level Twelve clearance."

"Twelve? But the Commander only…"

"Has clearance to Level Ten, yes. None of us know how to access the facilities, most do not even know of their existence."

"But you know they're there."

"That's affirmative."

"Thank you. Rouge and I will make it to HQ for strike operations. ETA four minutes."

"Copy that, Agent Shadow. Good luck."

"Copy. Shadow, out." He turned to Sonic. "Use your Emerald and get to Angel Island where it's safe."

"Hell no. I'm going after Amy."

"You're in no condition to fight."

"I'm not in any condition to do anything, but I'm still here. I'm going."

Shadow stared at his blue counterpart for a moment before nodding. "Very well. We'll head to G.U.N HQ. Do what you can and stay out of trouble, because I'm not slowing down for stragglers. Prower, come in."

"Read you loud and clear, Shadow."

"I need you to look into the military database so that I can access the facilities from inside of G.U.N. If they're still operational by now, there must be regular maintenance done on the equipment. Which means that there's at least one way in."

"Personnel," Tails replied. "Level Twelve clearance?"

"Yes."

"On it. Sonic going with you?"

"Yes, he's coming."

"Alright," Tails said with a nod. "Go and get 'em. I'll do what I can from here."

"Copy. Espio, do you have a lead on the missing transport?"

"Vector has found one and we are currently in pursuit."

"Kid, track the detectives' location."

"Way ahead of you," Tails replied.

"Good. We'll talk once we clear out HQ. Ready, Hedgehog?"

"Born ready," Sonic said with determination.

"Rouge?"

"Ready to crank it up, honey."

"It's time. **Chaos Control!**"

"I'm in!" Tails yelled as the transmissions cut off. "Time to get started on those security systems…but if I have a chance…"

"Luna, you holding up okay?" Mighty asked. The dark hedgehog nodded solemnly.

"…"

"I know…it must be rough. But we'll pull through. We definitely will."

Luna sniffled and hugged the armadillo tightly. Mighty sighed and patted her back gently, trying to give her some sort of comfort.

_We've gotta pull through…_

* * *

"Y-you were…r-r-right. I'm so…sorry."

Spike leaned against one of the tables set up in the area, glancing backwards at the vials of various liquids.

"Spike…listen. I don't want this. I don't want to fight you. Even though you've been a jackass so far...I don't think I'm ready to give up on you. Hey, we can make it through this. Start over," Amy said with a tender smile. Her hand reached out for his.

"There's good in you, Spike. Please…don't let it go to waste. Don't let anger take over you. I know you can do this."

He nodded slowly, gripping her outstretched hand.

"There, you see! Isn't that wonderfully anti-climactic?"

"Yeah…"

She pulled him into a hug. "All of that pain…we can take it away and replace it with happiness, yeah? Sure, you might be just a touch too snarky, but I think Sonic could use the competition," Amy said with a giggle. "What'cha say? We'll get ourselves out of here."

"Amy…I…I'm not interested in something as silly as happiness."

"Ah?"

His hand snaked up to her neck.

"All I've ever wanted was power. But…I didn't lie to you when I said that I was sorry for what I've done…and I'm sorry again."

"For what?" she asked, pulling away from him for a moment so she could look into his eyes.

"For what I'm about to do."

"Wait…what?"

Amy felt a slight pressure, and something flowing through the veins in her neck. Her eyes shifted, and she could see a needle being pulled from her flesh.

"What…what did you…?"

"Truth be told, even I don't know what I've put into you. But it's sure to be something terrible."

"You son of-" Amy grabbed the front of his shirt, but fell to her knees as a burning pain shot through every part of her body. A hand flew to her chest as her heart ached, a scream parting her lips in agony as she felt her limbs becoming useless.

"Amy…!"

Lucy tore down the nearest aisle, calling her friend's name in frustration. She found the pink hedgehog, lying on her side and struggling to breathe. Spike dropped the empty syringe to the ground, a sadistic smirk on his face as it shattered into glass pieces.

"**Amy! What did you…do to her?**" Lucy screamed.

"Nothing much. Just gave her a little medicine, is all."

"**Amy! Amy, don't leave me! I need you, please! Don't die on me!**"

Lucy held her breath as Amy's breathing slowed in intensity, the sounds becoming quieter and quieter…and quieter…

"A-Amy…? Speak to me…Amy…"

Lucy shook her friend lightly, hoping she would be roused.

"Amy…Amy, wake up. We need to get you up."

Empty green eyes stared back into her lavender ones, soft lips parted and pink hair hanging loosely from her head, frazzled and slightly wet. Bright blue veins showed through her skin, agitated by the toxin running through them. Her legs lay limply against the floor, arms dangling from her sides as the olive hedgehog held her close to her own body.

The warmth was ebbing away from her, slowly.

Tails manually bypassed G.U.N security a few moments later, obtaining the access codes to the Level Twelve sector, the place where Pearson's lab was located.

"The hell _is_ he?"

Sonic's frustrated voice rang through the halls as various personnel fired their rifles and pistols, from the pencil pushers to the rough and tough sergeants. Secretaries nailed robots between the eyes with Glock Nine handguns while the colourful and experienced heroes used their own bodies as weapons.

Egg Pawns were the first line of attack, followed by various versions of Egg Fighters that swarmed the base in droves. Soldiers that did not heed the power of chainsaw blades and laser cannons met with cruel ends, the bodies lying on the linoleum proof of their fatal mistakes. Several halls were lined with corpses sporting vicious diagonal cuts, some even sliced cleanly into two, their blood emptied around them.

Sonic knew that this was the work of the red robot. Metal Knuckles.

"I have to move…gotta go faster."

He needed to reach Amy before Eggman or his homicidal robot did. She'd be safe then, he reasoned.

"There's someone using one of the elevators to head down…"

Tails' voice rang out, reaching Shadow's ears from the communicator on his wrist. He sped up and called a katana out of thin air, using his melee skill to clear the halls of offending machines. The blade lit up with Chaos Energy, making the robots' defences about as useful in a fight as rice paper.

Jets of flame shot out from his Air Shoes as he rushed down the halls, dodging gunfire and slashing through Eggman robots.

"Kid."

"Fifty meters, next right," the fox replied swiftly.

"Copy."

Shadow hit the corner and tore around it like the professional he was, wisps of flame trailing him as he neared his destination.

"Whoever's used the elevator last is already down there by now."

"You think it's G.U.N?"

"No," Tails said.

Shadow nodded reflexively. "Didn't think it would be the answer, myself."

_Eggman._

The doctor watched as two sets of eyes locked onto his own, staring into him as he hovered above them in the round Eggmobile.

Spike's orange eyes betrayed his emotions easily enough.

Lucy's lavender eyes were void of…everything, he noted. There was literally nothing coming from her.

While he pondered that, he noticed the hedgehog girl lying in the arms of the olive-furred foreigner, limp and lifeless.

Eggman glanced into her eyes and saw nothing. No life. No pain. Nothing.

He realized what exactly had happened.

"Tempest…what have you-"

"Robotnik."

The scientist turned, feeling an uncanny pain rush through his mending jaw at the sound of the voice.

It was a loud and powerful statement. Not a yell or scream from across the room, but a statement.

He was coming.

**Sonic** was coming.

Shadow and Rouge followed, with the robot Omega trailing behind all three.

In a flash of light, Metal Sonic appeared in front of his creator, ready to attack at the command.

"Your orders?"

Eggman ground his teeth as his nemesis neared.

"Stand by, Metal."

"Affirmative."

A game of inches, that's what this was. They all knew it as the heroes edged closer to the villains, tension rising with each step forward.

It was time to play for keeps.


	45. Fourth and Inches

a/n: I didn't want to overload this chapter since I feel there's a lot in it already. It ends up resolving a few things but there are other sides of the story left to be explored, so that will be taken up later. But I feel that this leaves space for a breather, so I took the opportunity…but as the chapter title implies, it's still pretty tense right now.

Anyways, thanks for all the support and enjoy.

* * *

Sonic, Shadow, Rouge, and Omega came to a stop in the middle of one corridor of equipment. The silence was only broken by the sound of the computers on each side of them, and the subdued whirring of jet boosters from their enemies ahead.

Eggman sat in his machine as it hovered above the ground, Metal Sonic just ahead of him. The bruising around his right eye was faintly visible around the edges of his dark goggles. Hidden away from the heroes to his right were the three hedgehogs, one of which was dead by now, he reasoned.

There was no point in hiding anything anymore.

"Metal. We will back up ten feet."

"…Affirmative."

The two did so, allowing Sonic and company to step forward so that they were beside the aisle where Spike and the others idled. Lucy still held Amy in her arms, only loosening her grip slightly so that Shadow could feel for a pulse on her neck. The black hedgehog closed his eyes in resignation, turning to Sonic.

"I'm sorry, Sonic."

"What's happened to her, Shadow?" he asked softly.

"She's dead."

"…"

Sonic simply nodded.

"I understand. Thank you." He adjusted the communicator on his wrist and turned up the volume. "Tails, you there?"

"Yeah, I am. What's going on? Is-"

"Hold on for a moment, lil' bro. I've got news. It's…real heavy, so stay on the line. Keep it open, okay? I need your help, 'cause we have work to do."

"Yeah." Tails noted that Sonic's tone was more serious than he had ever heard it. Even when he was angry…he never sounded like that. Mighty and Knuckles noticed it as well.

"He almost sounds like he did that time…when he lost control. But it's not the same," Mighty pointed out.

"He's restraining himself. Trying to be as calm as possible," Knuckles said. "This is too concise to be normal, because even in the worst of situations, he has something crazy to say. It's not like him."

"I need you to open up a line to the Chaotix as well, Tails. Make sure they can hear and respond to this conversation as it happens," Sonic said.

"Roger that. Connections…made. Espio, this is Tails. We're in conference with Sonic right now, do you read?"

"I read you clearly," the chameleon said.

"Espio, it's me. Hold your positions immediately, all of you."

The chameleon came to a stop in a dense part of forest as he landed in the branches of a tree, Vector and Charmy following suit at his hand sign.

"Esp, what's going on?"

"Turn on your communicators, both of you," he said to Vector. "This is serious business."

"If you say so," the crocodile replied, doing as he was asked. Charmy followed along without a sound.

"Shadow," Sonic's voice called out calmly. "Link us to the Supreme Commander of G.U.N."

He nodded and made the call, getting Commander Tower quickly.

"This is Shadow. We're putting you in conference with Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles Prower, and the Chaotix Detective Agency."

"Shadow, this isn't-"

"Sir," Rouge cut in, "for the good of all of us, for the good of our future, I ask that you be quiet and listen to whatever Sonic has to say at the moment. Sir."

"…" Tower looked over the war zone that had become his headquarters, and sighed heavily.

"I'm listening."

"Linked," Tails said. "Okay, Sonic. You're on."

"Thank you, Tails…I mean it. I need…everyone's participation, here." Sonic took a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm gonna be asking some questions, and I'll need a few solid answers, okay? I'm gonna do something…a bit crazy. It's off the cuff. Can you support me? Can…you have my back, if I decide to do all of this?"

"I'm with you," Tails answered quickly.

"Me too," Mighty said.

"Count me in," Knuckles said.

"…!" Luna nodded along with them.

"Go for it, sugar," Rouge said.

"Your move, Hedgehog," Shadow replied.

Lucy looked up at Sonic, seeing that he was waiting for her.

"I know that…I wasn't here when I should have been. I'm-"

"It wasn't your fault. It…wasn't your fault, Sonic."

"Lucy…"

"I believe in you…do what you have to. For all of us," she said.

"I will, Lucy. I promise you that. Can I…hold her for a moment?"

"You don't need to ask, Sonic." He knelt to the ground and took the dead girl into his arms, holding his forehead against hers with his eyes closed.

"Hey, Ames…I…didn't get to you in time. I feel like a failure, and I really want to cry right now. But I can't…I don't have the time. And I'm too fired up, because I have to push myself in a way that I haven't before. I'm scared of what'll happen if I mess up, you know? Amy…I miss you so much already. Remember when I said that I'd always love you? I meant it. You're special to me, and even though I haven't figured out my true feelings for you, I know that I love you a whole lot. That much is clear."

He managed a smile. "I'd do anything for you. That's why I'm going to make the impossible possible. You remember that day? The day you told me changed your life forever? It's right in front of me. I'm going to make this right, Amy Rose. I swear I will. So just hold on, just hold tight and wait for me. Just like you never gave up on me…I'm not gonna give up on you. Wherever you are…I know you're cheering me on. Thank you, Amy…thank you so much."

He released her into Lucy's arms again, taking another breath before stepping out into the aisle where Eggman was waiting. Spike emerged beside Metal Sonic, a sour expression on his face.

"Sonic…is Amy…"

"…Yeah. She's gone, Tails."

The fox nodded, ignoring the tears spilling down his face as he focused on the task at hand.

"Just tell me what I need to do."

"Right. Lucy…hand off Amy to Omega for a while. I need you to get her phone from wherever you left it, okay?"

She nodded and placed the pink hedgehog in the robot's arms before running off quickly.

"Okay…enough dawdling," he muttered. "Time to get this started."

Sonic took an extra step forward, beckoning Eggman to do the same. Nodding for his associates to step aside, he hovered forward a few meters before stopping in front of his nemesis.

"I'll cut to it, Ivo," the hedgehog said coldly. "So listen up. I've got everyone listening in on this conversation between us. You're a man of your word, aren't you?"

"I would say so," the doctor replied.

"Good. Then we can make this one work out. Concessions."

"Concessions?" Eggman repeated.

"Concessions," Sonic said again.

"And who, pray tell, is going to make these _concessions_?"

"We both are. You give something to get something, simple as that."

"Hm."

Spike snorted. "You really think that-"

"Shut up, you **incompetent** _**meathead**_," Eggman growled. "You don't even realize the full extent of what you've done here."

"But I-"

"You were stupid enough to kill someone who was not any real threat to the operation on her own, when we could have had her as a hostage and _then_ used her as leverage against the hedgehog. But because you were so blood-thirsty," he ranted, "you not only forced me into a position where I have to **make deals with my most hated enemy**, but you've also **compromised** so many components of my future strategies that I cannot even **begin** to sort out the messes that you've created and that **I** will have to clean up **myself**. Therefore, I suggest, nay, **demand** you **shut your mouth** before I **permanently** shut it for you. **Do I make myself clear?**"

Spike gulped and nodded, shuffling back behind the doctor as he fumed, his face turning a deep red.

"Well, aren't we sunshine and lollipops today?" Rouge quipped.

"Huh. I never thought I'd say this, but…you go, Eggman," Knuckles said.

"Okay, time-out session's done with. Let's proceed to the nitty-gritty," Sonic said, getting everything back on track.

"Fine. Make your proposal."

"First thing has to do with the G.U.N headquarters. This is where Commander Tower comes into play. My proposal…is that we hand this base and all of its facilities over to you, Doctor Eggman."

"…"

A collective 'What?' went through everyone's minds at that moment…everyone's except Sonic's and the Supreme Commander's. Tower's answer was swift.

"Do it."

"Consider it done. HQ is now yours, Eggman," Sonic said with a wave of his hand.

Mighty was gripping the back of Tails' chair, his mind racing. "What…the hell did Sonic just do? Dude, what's he _**doing**_?"

"I…I'm not sure," Tails said softly.

"He just gave away a **top-secret military base** to a **mad scientist!** Did Amy dying fry his brain, or something?" the armadillo yelled. "Sonic, **what the hell**!"

"We said that we'd trust him," Knuckles said. "And there's more to this than meets the eye. Sonic wouldn't give away the keys to the kingdom. Not without a monster price tag attached."

Shadow looked on, his expression neutral as always.

_Tower gave a quick answer. Like he knew something we didn't…but what would he and Sonic both know so well at the same time?_

"Now I get you to give me something."

"Hmph. Take your pick, hedgehog."

"You're gonna drop Ellen Pearson at the nearest hospital, and you're gonna leave her there."

"…" Lucy looked on, wondering what was going through Sonic's mind at the time.

"I…think…" Tails felt his ears perk up as he listened in. Was Sonic actually…?

"The girl?"

"I said it, right? This military base for that girl. Plain and simple."

_I think I understand it now,_ Espio said to himself.

Eggman stroked his moustache and nodded. "Done. I'll release the girl."

"Thank you," Sonic said calmly. "Espio, you got that? Keep listening in, but follow the 'copter to a hospital and make sure she's safe."

"Roger that. Vector, Charmy…time to move again."

"Aye," Vector said with a toothy grin. Sonic was a clever fellow, wasn't he?

"I'll need one more concession…this one's a bit more personal."

"Oh?" Eggman was intrigued by now.

"Yeah, that's right. My next proposal is this. For thirty days – one month – I will do absolutely nothing to stop you, your robots, or any part of your global takeover schemes. Simply put…for one month, I'm banning myself from fighting you, Eggman."

The expressions of shock were now visible on everyone's faces…at least for everyone present that had faces.

"D-did…Tails…that did not just happen…!"

"I think it did, Mighty. It…just did."

"Sonic…I know you keep to your promises but that's…a little much, don't you think?" Rouge asked with concern. "You realize what you're saying, right?"

Eggman was exploding with joy, on the inside at least. He restricted himself to a chuckle on the outside.

"Oh, Sonic…you never cease to surprise me, really. A whole **month** without fighting me _or_ my creations? I'd be a fool to pass up a deal so sweet! Consider it done, my spiky blue friend!"

The hedgehog suppressed a cocky smirk, but relaxed himself for the first time since he arrived. Shadow took notice of this, and new questions surfaced in his head.

_Don't tell me…it was bait?_ _But for what?_

"Okay. So you'll give up something for me, then."

"Hmph, but of course!" _And that's because you have nothing to hold over me, you stupid fool!_

Spike's mind clicked in at that moment, and his eyes widened in horror.

"Doctor, take it back! You can't let him make that request!"

"Did I **not** say to-"

"Luna Kaguya," Sonic said slowly.

"Luna…Kaguya. The hedgehog girl?" Eggman said, confused.

"The same," he replied. "Off limits, except for one condition. And that's if – and _only_ if – she seeks out your help herself. In that case, you're obligated to help her with whatever she needs from you. Deal?"

"Deal," Eggman said quickly.

"Wait," Spike protested.

"Oh yeah…no take backs," Sonic added. "You live with your choices, Eggman."

"Indeed…we'll see how you live with yours, Sonic."

Sonic finally allowed himself a smirk. "Yeah. We will. Shadow…time to take us up."

"Roger that."

* * *

Sonic looked at the piece of red cloth tied around his right wrist. The sun had started to set, painting the skies a rich shade of orange.

"Hm…you always did seem to stick with me, didn't you?" he said sadly. They had laid Amy near the Master Emerald, after coming to the realization that she couldn't be revived as easily as they all thought. Her body was rejecting all forms of Chaos Energy, and from Shadow's discovery of foreign material in her system they realized that she was stuck. Introducing any kind of energy into her body would cause an intense reaction that would likely destroy her with further contact.

Whatever Spike had put into her, it was awful stuff.

"Well…I guess I'll have to get started on my plan soon, then." He walked from the secluded area and through the trees until he reached the computer shack that Tails had set up. A flurry of conversation was going on, with Tails, Knuckles, Mighty, and the entirety of Team Dark discussing one thing or another. Lucy and Luna sat quietly together on a flat slab of rock.

"Sonic!"

He waved to his little brother as he neared the group. All eyes immediately turned to the blue hedgehog.

"I think it's explanation time," Mighty said gruffly. "Because I want to hear what crazy reason you had for making those kinds of demands, and giving up so much to Eggman. He's been your enemy for years, and now you suddenly decide to make _deals _with him?"

"Yeah. Got a problem?"

"You're damn right I have-"

"Cease your bickering," Shadow shouted. "Hedgehog, start talking."

"Make me," Sonic shot back.

"I don't think you mean that."

"Yeah? Well, I don't think I'm joking right now."

"That's enough out of you, all of you!"

Rouge stepped into the middle of the group.

"Honestly, I know that boys will be boys…but this is ridiculous! We don't have time to fight. Not when…we've already lost someone."

Everyone was silent at that, remembering what had happened to Amy Rose.

"Sonic…we want to know what you were thinking. Please?" Rouge asked.

"Alright, alright. I was planning to tell you all when we got calmed down some more, but I can't resist a pretty face, can I?" he said with a smile. "So…I'll start from the top."

"Yeah…what was the deal with you giving Eggman the base, anyways?" Knuckles asked.

"It's simple, really. Ever tried to start a car without a battery in it?"

"That's impossible, it won't work."

"Exactly. I basically gave Eggman a car with no working parts in it."

"That makes sense," Shadow said with a nod. "The military has a 'scorched earth' policy when it comes to abandoning any military posts. All useful equipment and facilities are destroyed to the point where they become unusable. Communications, computers, security…all so that the enemy doesn't get their hands on it. Commander Tower must have had this in mind at the point of negotiations. That's why he answered so quickly when Sonic made the proposal. It was a gamble on the hedgehog's part, but…a very clever one, I must admit."

"Wait, but what about the underground base?" Mighty asked. "You gave that away, too."

"That was another small gamble, but one I educated myself on a bit. Eggman has no clue how to make use of that lab outside of whatever he could get from Doc Pearson."

"But he couldn't have anything on Pearson's actual research," Rouge pointed out.

"Not him, but one person could," Tails said. "Ellen Pearson."

"The key to the kingdom," Sonic said. "I remember Tails saying that the key was a some_one_ and not a some_thing_. Putting two and two together, I figured that Eggman needed her for his plans to work. But he doesn't know she's the _real_ key, he still thinks it's something else. Now that we have access to her, we can make the connections between her and what she's apparently found out from her granddad's notes."

"So we actually got the advantage?" Mighty said in disbelief.

"And then some," Tails replied. "Eggman's stuck with a useless base, since he can't mess with any of the lab equipment because he doesn't know what'll happen if he does. He could lose Sakura and a lot of irreplaceable data."

"Okay, maybe that was a great plan, but what about not fighting Eggman for a month?" Knuckles asked. "What's with that?"

"Eggman has no clue where to find me unless he's stirring up trouble. Then I'm wherever he is. That gives me some time to do my thing. I want to get a few Chaos Emeralds, but no matter what happens, I'm leaving on a trip in two weeks with Amy."

"Sonic…Amy's gone, remember? What're you gonna do with a corpse?" Mighty asked.

"Two weeks from now is the beginning of the next month…"

Mighty looked to Knuckles, who shrugged. Tails scratched his head.

"It's nothing important. I just need to make sure she's taken care of."

"If that's what you want, Sonic. But what about that whole thing with Eggman?" Knuckles inquired.

"He was too hasty in his actions," Shadow commented. "So there's a loophole active. Sonic restricted himself from fighting Eggman. He mentioned nothing about any of us."

"Which means we're all free to ruin his day whenever we want," Rouge said with a smile. "Sounds good to me."

"And Luna? What about her, Sonic?" Tails asked.

"Nothing complicated. She and Ellen are practically sisters, right? Say that something with Eggman's scheme could actually benefit in making that girl better. Luna would obviously want a part of that. Am I wrong?"

Luna shook her head.

"You said that Sakura was in some kind of stasis and that Spike was being careful with her. Eggman didn't start up anything while had two out of three, which means that he needs them all for whatever he's doing. Now we can put everything together. If Ellen's the key, and Luna's a part of the puzzle, then Eggman's stuck unless Luna needs his help. But even in that case, Luna would still be in possession of the key, which we know is Ellen."

"Which basically means that…Eggman's stuck until **we** make a move," Rouge concluded.

"So by making a few sacrifices, you got the Doctor to cede control of the situation to you," Shadow said to Sonic. "And those losses can easily be recouped."

"More or less," Sonic admitted. "But…the part where I don't fight him doesn't prevent him from attacking me wherever I am. He'll figure out what my plan is soon enough."

"Nevertheless, I have to admit that you did a very good job in a limited amount of time. I can honestly say that I am impressed, Sonic."

"Thanks, Shadow."

"Yeah, what he said. You put on quite a show, Big Blue," Rouge said with a playful wink.

"Not half bad," Knuckles said with a nod.

"I was freaking out back here, but looking at it all, it's pretty slick of you," Mighty said. "True to form, Sonic."

"…"

"I agree with Luna," Lucy said. "You were wonderful, Sonic."

"Yup, that was smooth sailing," Tails said with a smile.

"Thank you, everyone. I mean it, and I couldn't have done anything without you all supporting me. It's not over yet, but…we'll get there."

"Right now, I think we should get home instead," Rouge joked. "It's been a long day…oi. Debriefing is gonna be a real bitch tomorrow," she muttered.

"Better get some rest, then."

"A bit of brandy should help calm me down, but thanks for thinking of me," she said as she blew Sonic a kiss.

"Always, Rouge. You take care too, Shadow."

"Yeah."

"And I didn't forget you, big guy. Stay solid," he said to Omega who saluted back.

Shadow snapped his fingers, disappearing with Rouge and Omega in a flash of green light.

"That just leaves us," Mighty said. "I think I'll stick around with Knuckles up here, if that's okay."

"Not a bad idea," the echidna said. "It'll give us some time to catch up on a few things."

"I'll take care of Luna, for now at least," Lucy offered. "We can stay at Amy's place."

"…" Luna nodded in agreement.

"I've got a lot to fix up at the workshop, so I'll be going down once I'm done here," Tails said. "I might need some space for a few days, Sonic…I'll call up the Tornado myself remotely when I'm ready. Is that okay?"

"Yeah. No worries, I'll be around if you want me."

"Thanks."

"Whenever you're ready, ladies," he said to Lucy and Luna. "We'll be seeing you guys in a while. Stay frosty."

"Yeah. Later, Sonic," Knuckles said.

* * *

The stars shone in the skies above him, moonlight shining brightly from the surface of the lake ahead.

He could smell the flowers in the field ahead, each one with its own unique scent that rushed through him. He searched in the faint light until he found one that smelled familiar, smelled comforting and beautiful at the same time.

It was pink. Of course it was…it smelled like her, so it all made sense.

The blue hedgehog touched the rose gently, sitting cross-legged in front of it. He felt his eyes stinging with tears, and he let them fall freely to the earth below. Green eyes stared ahead, across the lake and into the future he would encounter soon.

He wanted her back, he really did. He hadn't lied when he said that he would do anything to bring her back to life. It was possible, because he didn't know what impossible meant anymore. No concept of it.

"Amy…"

He whispered her name gently, feeling the breeze kick up for an instant and making the flower's scent incredibly intense. Almost as if she were right there, but he knew…

"…"

And then he felt his tears being wiped away, gently. A figure sat in front of him, glowing in the moonlight. He reached out to touch the strange arm, his hand going through it but absorbing a strange sort of warmth in the process.

"You know…I hate making you upset."

A smile crept onto his face, the tears stopping. "It's not your fault, you know. But I know you hate seeing me like this. I'll try and smile more for you."

She smiled back, happiness shining through soft green eyes. "As long as you're okay, Sonic."

"How long can you stay?" he asked.

"As long as you need me to."

"I don't want to go to sleep."

"Then I'll stay up with you."

"I'd like that," he said.

He lay himself against the ground, looking upwards at the twinkling stars. She lay beside him, her hand not quite entwined in his, but connecting them all the same.

"I knew you would."

The night went by peacefully.


	46. Best of Seven, Act 1: Fox Fire

__Been too long. Another chapter up, and the beginning of a new part to this saga. Things start to get a little more interesting, I think. Thanks for reading as always, and I hope you all enjoy this one.

* * *

_"Sonic, can I ask you something?"_

_"Yeah, go ahead. What's on your mind?"_

_"You...I know that you completely lost it when Eggman told you that Amy was killed the last time. But she was lying there, right in front of you. How could you take that?"_

_"I...I'm not exactly sure. I just knew that I didn't want to go...dark...again. She made me promise, back in Chun-nan. It scared her, you know?"_

_"She made you promise?"_

_"Yeah. I felt so much like snapping at someone or something, but I just felt something...warm. And gentle. And it was just helping me to calm down. Tails, honest to God, I wanted to kill someone that day. I felt like I was going to explode, but I also knew that people were counting on me. That I had something to do...I think that held me together. Being counted on to do the right thing. There wasn't anything I could do but lead for everyone's sake…no matter how much it hurt inside…"_

_"Sonic..."_

_"It was her, Tails..."_

_"You mean Amy...?"_

_"I saw her when I went to Never Lake that night."_

_"Did you...talk to her?"_

_"Yeah. I told her that you missed her a lot. We all did. I guess that day, she helped me keep my cool without me realizing it...as impossible as that sounds."_

_"Nobody can blame you for feeling that way...you cared about her. You still care about her."_

_"...I'll make it right, though."_

_"You said that before, at the lab. What do you mean?"_

_"You'll know it when it happens. I don't want to keep this from you, but I know you'll try to go with me or stop me if you knew what was going on. I'm going to save Amy, Tails."_

_"Not even the Master Emerald could revive her."_

_"You're right. But I know something that can. I'll see you in a while, Tails. Take care of yourself."_

_"Yeah. I will, Sonic. Be careful."_

_"Always am."_

* * *

Miles Prower flew the clear blue skies in his newest generation of biplane, the Tornado Ace Combat Edition, or ACE for short.

The plane was painted a rich shade of red, wings glimmering in the daylight. Wisps of vapour trailed from the plane's wingtips, the propeller spinning in a blur of colours. The temporary electric engine hummed agreeably as the plane travelled onward.

It had been a week since negotiations in the Pearson Labs had ended. Eggman had kept to his word, releasing Ellen and backing off from Luna. His robots were working furiously to repair what was left of the heavily damaged G.U.N Headquarters, after allowing the soldiers to collect their fallen comrades. The unease from Sonic's promise to stay away had taken its toll on whatever seemed to be left of his sanity, and things started happening all at once.

The Chaotix were taking on a second client, Shadow and Rouge were busy at their jobs, Sonic revealed himself only when he so chose, Lucy and Luna were still adjusting themselves and Knuckles was with Mighty on Angel Island, leaving him as the only one with the freedom to take out Eggman's forces at will. Cream was out of the loop, and he preferred it that way since Amy was dead. Sonic said that he was going to 'save her', but the fox had no clue how he was going to do that. Vanilla got the details from Sonic and was depressed for several days on end. Her daughter provided comfort, oblivious to the situation.

It almost seemed cruel, but Vanilla had insisted that Cream not know until there was no doubt she wasn't coming back. She was six, and girls that age had fragile hearts. No good would come of shattering it unless one had to. Vanilla believed in Sonic, in what he said he would do. But he hadn't told her, either. All he said was that he would save Amy.

_Your destination is one minute ahead, Miles. Shall we prepare to engage targets?_

"Not just yet, Anna," he replied to the female voice. "Prep the chaff and dummy balloons, then customize for evasive manoeuvres."

_Acknowledged. Preparing for evasive action._

"Mode change, switch to Fighter."

_Mode Change activated, Miles. Configuring weapons cache now._

Anna was Tails' electronic companion, her name an acronym for his **A**dvanced **N**etworking and **N**avigation **A**ssistance System. Tails had only dabbled with artificial intelligence before she came into being, but in recent months, he had become heavily interested in the workings of advanced artificial intelligence and made the applications to his work. Anna had her own personality, thought processes, opinions, arguments, and anything one could think of that made her seem like an organic being, though she had the ability to make calculations far faster than any living thing possibly could. The 'magic' of quantum computing certainly helped.

Tails thought of her as a good friend, someone he could bounce ideas off of when nobody else was around...or when Sonic simply couldn't handle the information being thrown at him (though Sonic wasn't an idiot in the slightest, he had some complicated thoughts of his own).

_Two SAM sites detected twenty-three degrees low. Aerial threats, six degrees high._

"ECMs active."

_Hostiles at ninety degrees low._

"Copy that."

The attack had begun.

Eggman had decided to increase his operations, sending robots all across the planet to take over strategic locations. He created newer and more efficient robots for these purposes, and Tails noticed the difficulty increasing with each defeat the doctor took. The area this time was close to home on the West Coast, a port town known as New Junction. G.U.N had operations in this area as well, and another blow to their forces would be devastating.

"Standby to activate Fireflies."

_Fireflies prepared and ready, Miles. Cleared hot._

"Launch!"

Slits in the top of the biplane's wing opened up, revealing several thin arrow-shaped pods that orbited around the aircraft. They scattered as Tails flew the Tornado into a cloud of enemies, the pods firing precise laser shots through the hawk-shaped machines ahead. Eggman was securing the area using Buster Hawks, flying robots that could transform themselves into laser cannons.

In the ocean below were the missile-launching robots fittingly known as Launcher Whales, compartments on their backs sliding open to reveal scores of surface-to-air missiles among their caches.

"Here we go."

The biplane wing shifted downward and split into two pieces, each attaching themselves onto the sides of the plane at a forty-five degree angle, and sloping backwards. The propeller stopped spinning and retracted into the nose of the plane, a metal cone forming in its place. The back end of the Tornado opened up, a jet engine assembling itself and firing off a blue stream of flame as the plane accelerated forward.

Tails closed his eyes, focusing as the Launcher Whales fired their ordinance, the sky filling up with rockets as they screamed towards the Tornado and its pilot. The fox swiftly swiveled the plane into the path of the weapons, hands flying across the keyboard in the cockpit before resting on the flight controls.

"Anna, switch the Fireflies to manual control."

_Miles, I'm not sure you should do that._

"I know you worry about me, but I'll be fine."

_Do you promise?_

Tails managed a smile. Right, she was a bit more than just an AI, wasn't she?

"I promise, Anna. I'll be okay."

_...Fireflies switched to manual control._

"Manual control activated."

_Angels five and dropping._

"Copy. Starting counter-measures."

_Be careful, Miles._

Tails' blue eyes shifted to a deep violet.

"Always am."

Flying into the barrage of missiles, the small Fireflies homed in on each target as Tails weaved the Tornado effortlessly through the attacks. A machine gun appeared from the plane's underside and fired controlled bursts at any missiles that crossed its path, Tails squeezing the trigger in perfect rhythm each time.

A trio of rockets came at him simultaneously, and he forced the plane's nose upwards to dodge one while rolling to dodge another, and finally dropped the nose to dodge the last one. The Tornado quickly went into a barrel roll afterwards, sliding by two more missiles and laser fire from the Buster Hawks. The fox's eyes shifted over to the group of robots flying to his right, and in a flash several of the Fireflies advanced to pepper them with laser bursts. The jet engine on the back of the plane squealed as Tails punched the throttle, dancing through a wave of robots and destroying them as he passed.

"They still have a lot of ordinance back there…Anna, scan three o' clock low."

_Scanning, Miles._

The whales still launching their attack, Tails climbed higher into the sky.

_We have twenty hostiles at your current four o' clock low._

"Fuel sources?"

_A combination of nuclear engines and Chaos Drive containers._

"Easy enough. Thank you, Anna."

Tails threw the plane into a high-speed dive, eyes scanning the airspace as Fireflies picked off targets. He could see one of the mechanical whales gearing up to launch more missiles, but it wouldn't happen. The Tornado dropped faster and faster, machine gun firing once and causing a chain of explosions as a missile blew up.

"There."

In a blink, one of the small laser pods shot towards the Tornado and stuck to a wing, firing a precise laser burst into the robot whale's core. The nuclear reactor went out of control and started to melt down, the Chaos Drives across from it becoming agitated and rupturing.

Tails pulled up and kicked in the afterburner on the Tornado, racing away as a massive explosion ripped through the ocean waters. Missiles were tossed into the skies and blew apart like fireworks as the plane circled back to survey the damage.

"I almost feel bad about attacking despite the nuclear reactors they had…but it couldn't be helped," Tails said to himself. Nuclear containment had become incredibly advanced over the past few years, with G.U.N becoming increasingly involved in the application of nuclear power to their fleets. The mess would be cleaned up in several hours as opposed to several years, with little if any danger to the immediate environment.

_You were a bit reckless today._

Tails closed his eyes, returning them to their normal blue as they opened again. The Firefly laser pods flew alongside the Tornado, filing back into the slots that opened up on the tops of the wings.

The plane shifted back into it's original state, propeller again whirling in a blur of colour as Tails flew on.

_I think you need to restrain yourself a bit more, Miles._

He looked down at the image on his computer screen; a red-furred vixen in a white one-piece dress, tail swishing about behind her as a worried expression crossed her face. A pair of wire-rim glasses sat on the bridge of her nose perfectly as she stared up at her creator.

"Anna, I'm fine."

_You always say that. But I find it…harder to believe. You used it again, didn't you?_

"I need to use it."

_Miles…remember what Knuckles told you. And you should seek out Sonic for his advice. He cares about you._

"I don't want to burden him any more than I have to," Tails replied. "He's thinking about a lot as it is. This isn't serious."

_I'm afraid that I do not share your sentiments, Miles._

He sighed. "I understand that, Anna. I want you to be like that, disagree with me when you feel the need to."

_And I understand your reasoning, Miles, _she replied. _But is it any different from talking to a normal program if you take nothing I say into account?_

"…"

_I apologize for my wording-_

"No…no, you make a good point. I just need some time to think, Anna."

_I understand, Miles._ _I…will leave further navigational handling to the secondary system while I enter standby mode._

"Anna…"

_I will report whenever you need me, Miles. _

She turned away and disappeared into a swirl of pixels, the empty space on the screen replaced instantly with navigational tools.

"Why am I so…awkward?" Tails grumbled to himself. Anna would come back online if he asked, but she wouldn't be herself at all for a while. Wasn't any point…

He really did need some time to think. Time to gather himself up and maybe figure out what Sonic was planning. Eggman was an enigma right now, and more to the point was deadlocked in his primary goal until the heroes made a move against him. Sonic ensured that he couldn't lift a finger against the doctor even if he wanted to.

Information on the project that Doctor Pearson was working on would also be a big help. The Chaotix might be able to help out in that area.

It would also do some good to check in on Lucy and Luna, maybe see how they were doing.

There was a lot to do, but so little time.

_One week…_

Sonic was going about it, and he felt like he should have known what it was all about. But he didn't, not yet.

He turned the Tornado on a course for Central City. For general information, Shadow and Rouge were who he wanted to see. There was definitely something going on, and he wanted to know more about what it was.

* * *

A blue blur ripped through the dense trees of the White Jungle, feet pounding on fragile earth before taking off into the skies. Tree trunks exploded in chunks of wood, flames licking up tree leaves as a flash of red tore past. Drops of water splashed from the treetops, the mist stirred by currents of wind.

Cuts all over his body, Sonic ran deeper and deeper into the jungle, eyes focused on finding the best possible line as he went sliding down thick and sturdy vines. Drops of blood were lost to the wind as he picked up speed, his legs burning but not enough to slow him down. He hurdled over trees as they fell in front of him, the red blur keeping pace by his side. Sonic accelerated and dodged a sharp pair of metal blades, protruding from the knuckles of his pursuer.

Missile pods opened up along each of Metal Knuckles' shoulders, and they fired off volleys of the dart-like weapons. Sonic dodged and weaved through the trees as napalm exploded and lit up parts of the jungle as the small missiles crashed.

His muscles tensed, Sonic grit his teeth and stifled the urge to attack the red robot – he was being mocked as his enemy left multiple openings for him, knowing that he couldn't do a thing about them.

He was bound to a promise.

Sonic picked up speed, streaking through the thickening white mist. It had been five days, and he had not gotten more than half an hour's rest on any given night since Metal Knuckles started to hunt him. He wanted to fight, but knew he couldn't. His friends could possibly help him, but if Eggman found that he was seeking them out…

That would be too much to bear, especially after already losing someone precious.

_One more week._

Sonic steeled himself again, pushing away the fatigue as he picked up pace. Thick clouds of mist parted in his wake, the red robot following and waiting for him to slow down.

Waiting for its chance to strike.

The blue hedgehog had already decided that the only time he would slow down was once he collapsed. No sooner.

And so they continued through the jungle, the hunter and the hunted.


	47. Best of Seven, Act 2: Politricky

As always, thank you for the support. Enjoy this chapter.

* * *

The home of Amy Rose was a modest two-storey house near the edge of Station Square. A half kilometer away was a connection to SquareRail, the region's light rail network. Just further down was the last local stop on the subway network, run by Station Square Transit, and nicknamed the 'Blue Blur' for the blue subway cars that ran along the tracks. They were painted and named in honour of Sonic's heroics over the past few years.

It was a sturdy brick house with a front door made of oak and painted a bright white. Square windows ornamented the face of the house, edges a rustic red. A cute flowerbed ran from one end to the other, separated by the pathway leading out towards the grass.

There in the front yard were two female hedgehogs, one coloured navy blue with wild and wavy quills running down her shoulders and back. Strands of hair came together over her charcoal eyes, partially obscuring them from sight. Quiet as always, she sheathed her katana in the gleaming white scabbard clipped to her side.

Her companion sat cross-legged in the grass nearby, watching her instructor as she breathed in deeply. Olive green quills stuck upwards in a fan pattern on the left side of her head, the rest unkempt and running in every possible direction, a good amount curving upwards at the back of her head. She brushed a few of them from her shoulder as she ran a hand through her fur.

"So you think I should start using a katana?"

"..."

"Oh?" A sparkle came to the girl's lavender eyes as she smiled. "What could you mean by 'not enough finesse'?"

Luna rolled her eyes whilst adjusting her jeans and white tank top. "..."

"Okay, okay. You make a good point. I'll stick to the double-edge, then."

Luna Kaguya gave her companion a nod before starting her exercises again, drawing her katana and taking a calculated stance.

Lucille Flower sighed and fell back onto the grass, reaching for the combat knife on her side and running her fingers over it gently. The blade seemed to glow white in the sunlight, words etched on the handle in thin lettering.

"Wait a minute…"

The side she was currently looking at said '_De oppresso liber_' when she had found it. Now it read '_Facta Non Verba_'. Turning the knife in her hands, she noted that the other side retained the exact same markings as before.

"Mina," she read aloud. "Well, whoever she was…she had a darn good knife at her side. Maybe I'll meet her in this timeline...maybe. Not likely at all, though. I wonder what this stuff is made of? It's hardy, yeah…survived about two centuries, though it was pretty well preserved by chance. Conducts my energy well, too. Hm."

Lucy's ears twitched as the sound of footsteps came shuffling through the grass nearby. She stood up to address the visitor, adjusting her shirt and brushing blades of grass from her jeans. Luna ended her training for the moment and sheathed her katana again, walking to Lucy's side.

A familiar blue Chao with a red bow chirped in greeting as it neared. Lucy smiled, holding out her hands as the Chao landed in them and nuzzled the animal against her cheek in affection. Its emotion orb changed to a heart shape.

"And a good morning to you, Cheese!"

"Chao chao chao!"

"Miss Lucy, Miss Luna! Good morning!"

The two hedgehogs received a bow from the Chao's owner, a rabbit girl by the name of Cream. Sparkling brown eyes looked up at the two 'madams' in admiration.

"Good morning, Cream," Lucy said with a wave.

"…" Luna responded with a polite bow.

"What brings you here?"

"Oh, Mama and I just decided to visit this morning, to see how you were doing. Amy's still away, isn't she?"

"Yes," Lucy said nervously as Vanilla Rabbit arrived, carrying a small basket. "She's away for a while, but she'll be back soon."

"That's right," the elder rabbit continued. "Mister Sonic is going to see to it that she returns home in one piece."

"Romantic, no?" Lucy said with a smile.

"Wow…I was wondering how long it would take for Mister Sonic to confess!"

_Clever kid…I kind of feel bad about lying to her right now, but…_

"I'm sure he'll be doing that and a lot more," Vanilla assured her daughter.

"Me too, Mama."

Luna took the girl's hand and led her inside what was Amy's house, Cheese floating behind her. Lucy and Vanilla stood outside, the morning breeze blowing by them gently.

"…I don't like this very much."

"Neither do I," Vanilla said sadly. "But Amy was…more or less her big sister. They meant so much to each other. To tell Cream that someone she loved so dearly is suddenly dead…I don't think she could take it at all."

"She'll find out eventually."

"She won't have to."

"…You're counting on him, aren't you?"

Vanilla nodded slowly.

"And what if he doesn't come through?" Lucy asked. "What then?"

"I haven't thought that far ahead. Simply because Sonic always keeps his word," she replied.

"…"

"I know that it's kind of silly…"

"No, not really. I understand what you're feeling. I had someone I believed in unconditionally as well. I guess I'm a bit jaded, or something," Lucy said while toeing the ground. "Things happen, nothing's always perfect and there isn't always a happy ending."

"But you still believe…don't you?"

"…I want to believe."

Vanilla smiled and placed a hand on Lucy's head. "Then…just do so."

Lavender eyes blinked in confusion before closing slowly. "I'll try, Miss Vanilla."

"Just listen to your heart, Lucille. Everything starts from there."

"_That's where it all starts, the heart! Put your all into it whenever you go out there, __Lucy. Things will start to happen like they never have before.__"_

Silver said that to her a long time ago…if Vanilla was repeating it with such confidence, there had to be some sort of meaning to it.

"You're right. I'll listen to what my heart says."

"Good. Now, we'll go inside and have some of the pastries I've brought over," Vanilla said with a wink.

"Sounds like a plan," Lucy replied with a grin.

* * *

"The hell do you mean I can't get access to those files?"

Rouge the Bat was currently at the G.U.N Headquarters in Central City, where many personnel had re-located after the abandonment of the official military base. The Supreme Commander's office was similar to that of his old one, and chances were that Eggman was propping his feet up on the old man's desk as they spoke.

Well, he was speaking. She was closer to yelling at this point in time.

His heterochromia and intense presence usually put the bat off balance, but today she was beyond angry. Nothing had come of the meetings or operations conducted over the past eight days, no assistance was being provided to Sonic, who she knew was being hunted by Eggman, Omega had been stuck in maintenance for a week and Shadow was barred from any activity for 'classified' reasons.

And to top it all off, she was being denied the appropriate clearance to complete her mission.

"Orders from on high," Abraham Tower said calmly, sipping a glass of brandy from the seat behind his desk.

"How high?" she demanded.

"Joint Chiefs and SecDef."

"You must be joking. What the hell do they have to do with this?" To have the Secretary of Defense in on this matter…how deep did this well of secrets go?

"NGA, too."

"Why them?" She snorted in realization. "Right. Classified."

The Commander nodded, taking another sip from his glass.

"Lemme guess, DARPA, too?"

He nodded again.

"Okay, so where exactly do we stand?"

"Well, let's keep it simple."

"How simple?" Rouge asked, placing her hands on the Commander's desk.

"DEFCON 1."

The room was silent for several moments.

"…"

"To be truthful, the Joint Chiefs were debating on adding a DEFCON 0 just so they could use it this time around."

"Just what the fuck have we been hiding in our closet for so long that it warrants all of this?" Rouge screamed. "You're telling me that Doctor Ivo Robotnik, mad scientist extraordinaire, guy who hijacked the goddamn Space Colony ARK and almost wiped out the moon with the Eclipse Cannon, guy who split the fucking planet into **pieces**, guy who makes clowns out of G.U.N personnel in his sleep is sitting on top of something that is deemed even **more** dangerous than **an imminent nuclear war?**"

"Basically."

Rouge held a hand to her head and sat down in a nearby chair.

"I…can't take this."

Commander Tower set another glass on top of his desk and poured brandy into it before pushing it towards the weary Agent.

"Drink up."

"T-thank you."

"You have a connection I can use."

She took a swig of alcohol before looking up at him. "Me?"

"Miles Prower."

"You think the kid can help us?"

"It's worth a shot."

"I didn't think you were the type to ask for help from vigilantes."

Tower shrugged. "My hands are tied by the U.N. and USSOCOM. Though SecNav would probably help you out regardless. They left her out of the loop earlier on and she's pissed."

"You seem too casual about this, Commander."

"It's above my pay grade right now, Agent. Nothing I can do but sit back and watch the fireworks."

"And you're content with this?"

"No, I'm as pissed as SecNav is right now. Just that she ran out of booze in her office," he said with a smirk.

"Pity, that."

"Indeed."

A knock on the door interrupted them.

"Enter," the Commander said. Shadow walked in, giving his boss a salute.

"At ease, Agent. What can I do for you today?"

"I've returned from the requested combine that was set up for me, and I have a visitor."

"Who?"

The black hedgehog stepped aside, allowing Tails to enter and stand next to him. A serious expression was etched onto his face.

"Mister Prower," the Commander said. "An honour to meet you. I heard about your run at New Junction earlier…quite impressive."

"Thanks," he said tonelessly.

"Ever think of working for G.U.N one day, son?"

"I'll think about it. Not to be rude, sir…but I haven't exactly come for friendly banter."

Rouge winced and took another sip of brandy. "You don't sound too cheery, babe. Then again, I wouldn't be either if my best friend was being hunted like wild game."

"Seems your motivational skills are as sharp as ever," Shadow quipped.

"Shut up."

"I need information or some access to the archives of Doctor Pearson's work. Maybe we can stop Eggman's plans completely with those."

"None of us have the clearance," Shadow said.

"There must be some data somewhere," Tails insisted. "Data had to be backed up in case something happened on the inside."

"Back-up servers?" Rouge asked.

"Possibly."

"Floor plans?" Shadow suggested. "Are we allowed access to those, Commander?"

"That information is-"

"Classified," Rouge spat. "This is bullshit."

"…"

"Might want to tone down the language, Rouge. We have a child in the room," Shadow said.

She gave him a fake smile, downing the rest of her drink before saluting the Commander and leaving.

"She seems upset," Tower commented.

"It won't last long. I'll be on my way. Probably have enough paperwork to do as it is…"

"I'll see you at 1700, Shadow. Meeting's today."

"Yes, sir." Shadow saluted before leaving the office with Tails. The orange fox took off in the other direction without a word, leaving the dark hedgehog shaking his head.

Rouge exited the glass doors of the Central City HQ, walking quickly down the sidewalk. A shadow hovered over her for a brief moment before Tails landed in her path, arms outstretched.

"Get the hell out of my way, kid…"

"One minute, that's all I ask. Hear me out."

She stared at him, aqua eyes narrowing before she crossed her arms.

"Sixty seconds. Make it count."

"We have the same goal, the same wants and needs. Information on the project that Doctor Pearson was working on. All I need is a way to access just one of the government's mainframes and I'd be in. I could beat their encryptions in my sleep."

"…I'm listening," she said as she dropped her arms to her sides.

"I can also tap Eggman's data stores. While we rescued Luna, I managed to upload a worm into one of Eggman's computers. I know that the network is still online and very much accessible. That's riskier than hacking the Department of Defense, but the payoff would be huge."

"Yeah? I like, I like…"

"There's more, though. I think I know where the data stores are. They must be near the lab, and if we had a map, we could probably pinpoint them. But the alternative is to sneak in and access the network directly."

"Might get us killed."

"You're right. But it might just bust this thing wide open if we do succeed."

Rouge thought for a moment, looking over the fox boy as he stood in front of her. He was just a kid, but he had a lot of determination…probably picked that up from Sonic. He was smart, efficient, and effective. Knew what he wanted and was going for it.

The alternative was to wait for Shadow to be cleared for action.

No. She didn't have that kind of time. They were at DEFCON 1. This needed to end as quickly as possible, even if she was going to cross the line. Shadow would have felt the same way, she knew.

"You're sure of all this, hon'?"

"As sure I can possibly be, Rouge."

"_Nothing I can do but sit back and watch the fireworks…__"_

_Like hell I'm going to sit on my ass, old man. It's time for action._

She nodded to the fox and spread her wings, hovering above the ground. "Come on, then. Let's see your ride."

"Where are we going?"

"The Pentagon," she said with a smirk. "We're going to make a new friend, _Tailsie_…"

* * *

Sonic blew by the ruins of a building, pieces of concrete strewn about the jungle area. Toxic waste collected in isolated pools, ruptured chemical drums appearing in various places as the hedgehog continued onwards.

The familiar jungle 'pipes' came into view, and he raced down them in a hurry to shake his pursuer. Sweat dripped from his brow as he pushed himself faster, a sonic boom crackling through the air as he hit Mach 1. Metal Knuckles chased his quarry through the thick, humid part of Prison Island known as the Green Forest, Sonic's route to rescuing both Amy and Tails during the Space Colony ARK incident.

G.U.N robots prowled the dense jungle, unable to lock onto either of the fast-moving intruders as they shot past. Sonic kept his speed up, closing himself off to any thoughts or feelings as he ran. His feet took him vertically up a massive tree trunk, and he leapt up over the top of it to look over the island.

The form of an aircraft carrier floating in the waters ahead caught his eye. In the same split-second, he glossed over runways and several shipping yards near the island's edge. Aircraft took off and landed quickly, while ships dropped anchor near towers of steel.

Metal Harbour was fairly close…

Sonic swivelled his head to see the red robot rising up behind him, and without a word used an Air Boost to soar above the trees before falling back into the humid jungle again. Multiple sonic booms ripped through the air as Sonic accelerated with his Boost, Metal Knuckles activating its _H. Maximum Overdrive_ in retaliation and burning a trail of destruction through the trees.

The blue hedgehog's muscles tensed as he drifted along a wide path, and aimed himself directly towards the harbour, his hunter following all the way.

One way or another, Sonic knew he was getting off of the island.


	48. Best of Seven, Act 3: Wide Awake

We start to get deeper into the story and I start to address some things from way back near the beginning of the story, namely the first arc and certain relationships. As always, thanks for the support and enjoy this next chapter. Onward.

* * *

"_You don't know how good you have it, kid. I could be wrong, but I doubt it this time._

_Life is hard sometimes. It brings in a lot of pain and misery, and some of it can't be simply pushed aside in your head. No, sometimes you have to live with it all. The things you've done to people. _

_In the name of justice, they tell you._

_I don't have anything besides what I can see. The jewels that shine at me in the dark._

_I'm just lost in myself and trying to dull this pain, get rid of these nightmares that drive me crazy. I keep thinking that maybe, if I drive myself to __**be**__ the best, to __**look**__ the best, to __**have**__ the best…maybe that pain will disappear. But you know, it just keeps growing._

_I never realized it before. How alone I really am._

_You…you're lucky, Tails. You have people, friends…a family, even. As wild and obnoxious as Sonic is, I can tell from the way you talk to each other that he cares a lot for you. You two really do love each other. I mean, Shadow's my friend but he has his own secrets and burdens beyond my understanding, and everyone has this label for me. Temptress. Thief. Soldier. Parts of me, but not all of who I am. Fragments, you know? Just fragments that everyone wants to see._

_I keep having these nightmares…where I end up hurting the ones I care about, and I end up with nothing, absolutely nothing. I keep flashing back to where I'm covered in someone else's blood, and I…don't know what to do. I feel so numb._

_It's so unlike me to spill out all of these feelings. That's not who I am, is it? I'm sexy, capable, and confident. I'm Rouge the Bat. _

_That's who I am…who I'm supposed to be. Supposed to be a loner, supposed to be content by myself. Supposed to wander the darkness on my own…_

_I don't know why I feel so scared to do all of that._

_Is there something wrong with me?_

…

_Right, you can't answer. You're sleeping. I wish you were awake…you're a smart kid, you'd have all the answers for me, right?_

_Maybe. _

_All I'll end up doing is putting on that mask for you as always. Because we just happen to know each other, and because I have my own motives. I always have my own motives, don't I? I always try to undercut someone to get a good deal. That's because I need to be the best, and I need to have more, more of everything, more of the world at my feet._

_And yet…there will always be something missing…_

…

_I guess I won't ever find it, will I?_

_Hm._

_How sad. _

_The world's greatest treasure hunter, unable to secure the one thing she desperately wants._

_What a failure you are, Rouge…"_

The sun's rays streamed through the window of the hotel room. Blue eyes opened, blinking groggily at the ceiling before their owner rolled out of the comforts of his bed.

Tails' ears twitched as the room door opened, revealing a certain white-furred bat in high heeled boots.

"Mornin', sleepyhead," she said with a smile. "Hope you're ready for breakfast."

"Sure, that'd be nice," he replied. "Just gonna wash up, first."

"Take your time."

He nodded before pulling on his sneakers and heading into the bathroom. After a few minutes he emerged with minty-fresh breath, catching Rouge with her back turned.

"Uh…Rouge?"

"Huh?" She snapped out of her daze and turned to look at the fox. "Oh…sorry, kiddo. I was just going over a few things. You know, work stuff."

"There anything I can do to help?"

"Nah, I'm fine. Come on, we'll grab a bite and then drive over to the Pentagon. Sound like a plan?"

"Sure. That's fine with me…but…"

"Something the matter?"

"Your eyes are red."

She nodded knowingly. "Mm…it happens. My sleep cycle's kind of wonky right now, and bats are nocturnal, you know. I'd usually be asleep around this time, but we've got work to do. Anything else?"

"No…no, that's it. I was just concerned, that's all."

"Aren't you a darling?" She tousled the fur on his head before leaving. "Thanks for the concern, hon."

Tails let out a sigh as he followed her. Last night he _was_ trying to sleep. But she started talking, and…he heard everything she said. Her red and bloodshot eyes didn't come from lack of sleep, he knew.

She called herself a failure…that wasn't at all like the woman he knew. No, she rarely ever admitted to losing. She was actually a lot like Sonic, in some ways. They both hated losing at whatever they did.

He wondered about his brother for a moment, asking what he would do in a situation like this.

_Maybe I'll figure it out as I go along…hopefully._

They ate breakfast before checking out, both carrying a cup of coffee for the ride ahead. The receptionist smiled at them as they reached the front desk.

"Checking out?" the regal-looking white cat said.

"Yes, ma'am. I've got this one, Rouge."

"Thanks. They're probably out for my head back at work," she mused.

"Probably," he said as he handed the receptionist a credit card.

"I take it that you enjoyed your stay," she said while looking at Rouge. "Our rooms don't see much use from customers of your calibre."

Rouge closed her eyes, saying nothing as she sipped on her cup of coffee. "I did…enjoy my time here. The room was very nice."

"I'm sure that it was," the receptionist said sweetly. "We've completed your transaction, Mister Prower. I hope you visit again soon."

"…"

He turned to look at Rouge, who started to walk past him while staring at the floor. He grabbed her arm and brought her to a stop as he spoke.

"There's an old saying that goes 'if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all'. Now, I know that's a good way of going about things, but sometimes we have to subscribe to a different theory."

The two women stared at him, confused.

"My brother always said that if you had something to say, you should say it before the moment disappears. That you needed to let your voice be heard. With that being said, I'm going to follow his advice…"

He stared down the receptionist, who stepped backwards in shock.

"…and tell you what I'm thinking right now. I think that if you have something to say about my friend here, you should say it. If you have some kind of comment on her appearance, say so. And if you have a problem with two friends sharing a room for the night in this hotel, you'd better say it to my face. But I will **not** stand by and let you talk about her the way that you did. Anyone with half a brain would know what you were trying to imply, so next time you have something smart to say, you'd better say it out loud. We have a meeting to get to, so we are done here. Have a nice day, **ma'am**."

The receptionist stood there, stunned as Rouge waved to her and followed Tails as he walked away.

"H-hey! Wait up!"

The fox slowed to a stop, taking a swig of coffee from his cup. Touching his arm, Rouge noticed that he was shaking.

"Too much caffeine, huh?" she half-joked.

"Heh, probably…"

"You okay?"

He took a deep breath. "…I…spent a long time being picked on and isolated because of who I was. Because of what I looked like. People judged me on that, called me a freak, and hated me."

"…"

"But I met someone who looked past all of that and saw me, the _real_ me. They accepted me for who I was, no matter how much I talked or how awkward I could get…"

"Sonic, right?"

He nodded. "He's family to me…"

"That's nice, you know? To have someone like that. But I can understand why you got upset."

"Rouge…I want to tell you something."

"Tell me what?" she asked, looking into the blue skies.

"If you…need a friend to talk to…" He hesitated on letting her know what he had heard last night.

She was silent for a few minutes, the wind rushing by them as they stood.

"…Thanks for the offer, kiddo. But I think I'll be alright."

"But..."

She placed her hands on his shoulders. "It'll be okay. Don't worry your cute self over me," she said with a smile.

"Alright…"

"So, we headed to see our friend or what?"

"Yeah. Who is it, anyways?"

"Someone important. You might know 'em from somewhere, since you're smart and all..."

* * *

Sonic raced along the decks of the Metal Harbour, danger screaming at him in every direction.

The impending missile launch provided a perfect opportunity for escape. If he could get himself onto it, he'd be clear of his pursuer and would finally be able to get some rest. He had rushed through the jungle all night, his slowest speed being a jog as he weaved through the trees under cover of darkness. Day had hit as he cramped himself inside of a small cave near the beach for rest and protection. Now he was on the move again, the morning breeze that usually calmed him sending a chill down his spine instead.

A jet engine roared behind him, the red robot closing in on his position as he followed the sloping metal decks upwards. The countdown on the missile had begun in spite of the cat and mouse game going on around it. Sonic felt his fatigue start to drain him, but he pushed forward at an even faster pace.

_"Five."_

Sonic felt his heart beating like a drum.

_"Four."_

Metal Knuckles angled himself forward and accelerated.

_"Three."_

Smoke billowed upwards from the bottom of the platform.

_"Two."_

Sonic saw a handhold and slowed to make a sharp turn.

_"One."_

Metal Knuckles lunged from behind, claws driving forward.

_"Launch."_

The blue hedgehog hissed in pain, watching the red robot skid to a stop on the edge of the metal pathway. The rocket lifted off with Sonic clinging to a metal bar by one hand, the other pressed against a deep cut as the blood stained his gloves red.

"Close one," he said with a sigh of relief. "But I'm finally away from that metal bast-"

He looked down at that moment, noticing that the robot hadn't moved.

"What..."

Sonic's eyes widened as the robot's shell was encased in a ball of flame. He prayed that the robot wasn't planning on doing what he thought he was doing.

"No...nononono. Please, think this through...no, wait. Don't think it through. Don't think about it at all. Don't think, _period_."

He saw the fireball that was Metal Knuckles start to streak towards his position.

"Don't you dare! Don't you freaking dare, dammit! Go away!" he said in a panic.

The robot came closer, hurtling towards the rocket.

"Stop! For the love of Chaos, **stoooooop!**"

Metal Knuckles did not listen and kept on its trajectory. Sonic grit his teeth and pushed off of the rocket with one leg, letting go of his handhold as Metal Knuckles punched through the missile with a flaming fist. The material on the inside reacted violently and it all exploded in the air, engulfing the robot in a white-hot fireball and pummelling Sonic with an intense shockwave. The air knocked out of him, Sonic saw his world fade in and out of sight as he plummeted towards the ocean. His insides felt like liquid and he was too weak to move against the air pressure around him.

This couldn't be the end of it.

Could it?

About a minute before launch, a certain nuclear submarine had surfaced a few miles from the Metal Harbour and Prison Island while on a training exercise. The USS _Guillotine_ broke the surface of the ocean, water cascading off of its massive deck. A nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarine of the _Stalker _class, she was the third of her kind to be launched.

The blue hedgehog unceremoniously slammed into her deck at high speed, dislocating his shoulder as he bounced down towards the hatch and rolled to a stop. Several men emerged on the deck with high-powered rifles, yelling and screaming at the hedgehog as he struggled to stay conscious.

It was suddenly that he felt soft hands cradling his head, the wall of noise ceasing to exist at the sound of a new voice.

"At ease, soldier. You can rest now, you hear? We've got you in good hands."

"...R-robo...t...gonna come..."

"Don't worry about any robots. You're safe now, Boy Blue. Stop fighting..."

And although he didn't want to, he found himself obeying the mysterious woman, nodding off in her arms from exhaustion.

"Get th' nurses up here," she said sternly to the armed men. One of them went back towards the sub's sail quickly as she stroked the hedgehog's head.

"S'alright. It'll be okay."

* * *

Meanwhile, Eggman sat in the G.U.N Commander's office, leaning back in his chair and looking over the flat monitor on the desk in front of him. Metal Knuckles had stopped transmitting a signal for the last hour…it was best to assume that either the robot had been destroyed or was offline for the time being. If anything, there was an option of self-repair.

Spike had left on some kind of business, but the scientist let him. He couldn't alter anything adversely at this point in time, especially with the agreements between himself and Sonic.

To Eggman's irritation, the blue hedgehog had indeed kept his word; Metal Knuckles destroyed the rocket Sonic was riding on and blew himself out of the sky. Eggman knew that Sonic couldn't swim, however…unless there was someone nearby, the hedgehog would likely have drowned by this point. But he never could believe in the idea that Sonic wouldn't survive somehow, since luck always seemed to favour him. His return was inevitable.

The fox brat had also caused him problems – New Junction was the fastest defeat he had suffered thus far, despite the fact that he had taken several key military outposts in the desert with little resistance. There was a foundation for further operations in the near future, and the acquisition of raw materials for another project of his. But there was something different about Tails…something that Eggman couldn't quite put his finger on. An uncanny accuracy with his weapons, perhaps? The damage reports from his machines had shown more precise shots than usual before they were sent offline.

"Hm."

Whatever that issue was, it didn't matter at the moment. Tails could be taken care of, Sonic was barred from acting against him, and he was slowly making progress towards his goals. He rubbed his chin, free of the mechanism used to hold together his jaw while it was broken. Technology had allowed the doctor to heal faster than a human normally would.

"Everything will be taken care of soon enough."

Eggman left the office, heading towards the elevator that led to Doctor Pearson's lab. He figured that putting time into trying to crack the system security again would do him well.

* * *

_You are the key, Ellen._

Bright blue eyes fluttered open, the girl's throat occupied by a long plastic tube. The nurse standing over her reacted quickly, removing the breathing mask and tube from her mouth. Ellen Pearson took in gulps of fresh air, her body frail but somehow filled with energy.

_You may choose what becomes of this world._

"Ma'am…I need something from you," she said softly. The nurse looked at the previously comatose girl with a curious expression. Tubes filled with intravenous fluid stuck out from her skinny arms, the heart monitor nearby beeping steadily along with her excited state. Crisp white sheets covered her as she lay in a white hospital gown.

"Yes?"

_I have given you my inheritance. _

"I need her…Luna, I need her right now."

"Who is…?"

"My mother will know. Tell her that I'm awake, and that I need Luna here."

"…I'll tell her. But first I'll get the doctor in here, alright."

"Alright," Ellen said with a smile. "Thank you."

She stared up at the ceiling as the woman left, snow white hair fanned out on the pillow beneath her head.

"It's finally…time."

_Have you ever been through the darkness?_


	49. Best of Seven, Act 4: Keep Dreaming

About time, huh? Here's the next one.

* * *

"Yeah, I got it. Thanks for lettin' us know, Mrs. P. Oh, that's good. Yeah, we'll be here, thanks. See you soon."

Vector hung up the telephone at his desk, putting on his favourite pair of headphones as he rose from his chair.

"Charmy! Espio! We're headin' out!"

"Are we investigating again?" the chameleon asked as he secured his wrist guards.

"Nah, it's good news. Seems that Ellen's up and at 'em."

"I assume she's still in recovery mode after being comatose."

"Actually, she's been chirpin' away since a few hours ago. Hey, Charmy! Hurry it up, will ya?"

Espio crossed his arms, thinking. "This is a most...intriguing development."

"You're telling me. Get this: first one she asked for was Luna. Joanna said that she's sending someone to pick us all up on the way, so I guess we can dig for answers from her if need be."

"Perhaps."

"Alright, ready to go!" the hyperactive bee sang.

"What're those for?" Vector asked, pointing to the flowers and envelope in Charmy's hands.

"Duh! It's a present for Ellen, since she woke up! You got her a present, didn't you?"

"Uh…hey, what about Espio?"

"My present is here," he said while producing a wrapped porcelain vase.

"Aw, don't tell me that you forgot, Boss!"

"I…well…I was swamped with work, okay?"

"Hey, cheer up, Vec! We weren't gonna leave you out!"

Espio unwrapped the vase and Charmy placed the flowers inside. He showed the front of the envelope to Vector, which read 'from Team Chaotix'.

"We assumed you would forget to bring something, so we took the liberty of preparing a present from all of us," Espio explained.

"Aw…that's mighty swell of you guys. I'm sure she'll love it!" Vector exclaimed.

The three detectives walked downstairs to where a blue SUV was waiting in front of the building entrance. Standing in front of it was a woman with long, fluffy blonde hair that billowed down her shoulders and back like a cloud. Her green eyes were bright and sparkling, contrasting against a form-fitting red button-up blouse. Toned yet soft-looking legs hid in the shadow of a knee length skirt, and she curtsied politely for her three guests in plain black shoes.

"Good afternoon to you," she said with a smile. "My name is Wilhelmina Lewis, and I've been sent by Madam Joanna. I'm honoured to make your acquaintances."

Espio bowed towards her from the waist, his companions following suit.

"Good afternoon, Miss Lewis," the chameleon said.

"Please," she said in a soft tone. "Call me Wilhelmina."

"Wilhel…Wilhemene…oh, it's a mouthful," Charmy said.

The human giggled softly. "That's quite alright, this has happened before. Call me whatever you like, okay? That goes for all of you. Now, shall we head for the hospital?"

She gave Vector a knowing look before turning to the driver's side of the vehicle.

_Wilhelmina Lewis…twenty-four, Canadian citizen. Spent an unknown amount of time in the Canadian Forces' Special Operations Forces unit known as Joint Task Force 2. Primarily worked on matters of counter-terrorism…at least, that's what I could dig up. JTF2 has their info locked up so tight I think it's suffocated by now…sheesh. And I thought G.U.N was stingy about their secrets._

_Heh…she knows that I've been digging through her files. And she probably knows that I couldn't find anything of use._

"Mister Vector," she started as the crocodile lumbered into one of the back seats, "I can assure you that I have no reason to cause Ellen any harm. I have all of the resources I could possibly need."

_Yeah, like I thought…she's crafty, this one._

"I also have a sibling in the military…though she enjoys a highly successful career path."

"No kiddin'…you're _her_ lil' sis, huh?"

Wilhelmina nodded as she drove. "I was born while our parents were on a trip to Niagara Falls, Ontario. The nearest hospital was on the Canadian side, and so…there I was. The Canadian daughter of American parents," she said with a laugh. "I expressed a desire to live in my home country, so I went to live with my grandparents when I was fourteen. My parents supported it, of course. After high school I decided to follow my big sister's example…I think by that time she was Master Sergeant in the Marine Corps. Something to that effect. I applied to my old job when I was…a certain age," she said with a sly smile. "And now I'm a retired veteran. Just doing a job I love at this point, really."

"A most interesting story," Espio said with a nod. "To be fair, we had already ruled you out as having any involvement with anything to do with this recent saga."

"What he said," Vector added.

"Yeah! And you're a nice lady, too!" Charmy said.

"Thank you all. I really did worry about Ellen, and I fear for Steven and Sakura…Steven most of all. He had a traumatic experience that might explain why he chose the path that he did. All he's ever wanted from life was power…more and more power to fill the gaping hole inside of him. The day when he couldn't protect those he loved the most, when he was so helpless…I can only imagine how it tortured his dreams every night."

"Y'think that's why he turned?"

"If for no other reason…"

"Either way…we should keep an eye out for him," Espio warned.

"Good idea," Vector said in agreement. "Guess we're on our way, then."

* * *

"_Sonic…"_

"_Amy! H-hey! I'm coming!"_

"_Please…leave me be, Sonic. There's no hope in bringing me back."_

"_That's crazy! I'm gonna fight for you, Amy!"_

"_It's hopeless…for the greater good, I'll just disappear…"_

"_No, you can't!"_

"_I'm so sorry…I love you, Sonic."_

"_Amy!"_

"_Goodbye…"_

"_Amy! **Amy!**"_

"**NO!**"

"Hey, easy."

Sonic looked at the woman that was kneeling by his side, warm sheets covering his body. He was on a small bed in cramped quarters.

"You okay?" she asked.

"I dunno…where am I?"

"You're inside of a sub, Boy Scout. We patched you up nice."

Sonic raised one of his arms, which was now wrapped up in white bandage. The cut on his side still stung when he touched it, but it was cleaned and taken care of as well. He noticed that he felt extremely weak and lacked any sort of energy. It seemed like a struggle to move at all.

"Thanks…for your help," he said softly. The dream he had with Amy disappearing was still fresh in his mind, and he was busy trying to comprehend it.

"You're very welcome. But it's not over yet."

"What do you mean?"

"We'll be heading back to the yard soon enough. That way, we can get some more answers."

"Not much to talk about, I think…"

"Mm." She ran a hand over the bun of thick, strawberry blonde hair that rested at the back on her head. Soft green eyes looked over the hedgehog with compassion as she stood up, smoothing out her dark knee-length skirt with a slit on one side.

"I can assume you'll be hungry. Make your way to the mess as soon as you're ready, Sonic."

"I will. Thank you, ma'am."

She smiled before leaving the bunk area, a few of the sailors filing past her and into their sleeping areas for rest, study, or meditation. Some glances went to the injured hedgehog but nothing was said as he lay in the bunk peacefully.

A few hours passed before Sonic slowly rolled out of bed and made his way to the submarine's mess hall.

"I took the liberty of popping your arm back into place. Probably feels a little sore, though."

Sonic nodded as he took a seat at one of the few tables in the area, across from the distinguished-looking woman in the white dress shirt with her sleeves rolled up.

"You were the first one to get to me when I hit the sub," Sonic reasoned.

"That would be correct."

"Didn't think a bureaucrat could be so swift."

"I'm not your average bureaucrat, Boy Blue," she said with a smile. "Seven or so years in the Marines, went through OCS before moving up to Second Lieutenant…and the last ten years have really been a blur. Apparently, they had me tapped for big things for a very long time."

"Go figure, huh?"

"Yup. They pushed me up to Brigadier General and then I was Commandant for like, a year…and here I am."

"Where?" Sonic asked.

"Right. I didn't really introduce myself. Josie Lewis, United States Secretary of the Navy."

"Seriously?" Sonic asked with a brow raised. "What're you doing all the way out here, ma'am?"

"Just doing the rounds, observing a training exercise or two. Helps keep morale up, you know?"

"I can understand that. But…you're probably in danger, here. What if Metal Knuckles gets back here?"

"We can probably take care of ourselves," SecNav said in a casual tone.

"Yeah, well…you're gonna have to shoot me out a torpedo tube or somethin'. I'm not letting this thing sink on account of me," Sonic said sternly.

"So noted," Josie said with a nod. "Hungry?"

"Yeah, pretty much. How long was I out after you picked me up?"

"Two or so hours. You're a fast healer, you know." She waved to the mess specialist, who gave her a thumb up and disappeared into the kitchen.

"So I've been told," Sonic replied.

"You had a rough nap, though."

"…Yeah." Sonic remembered the nightmares with Amy, seeing her just disappear into nothingness while he could only watch helplessly. "My friend…something happened to her, and I'm the only one who can save her now. I've been running non-stop for about a week..."

"But you're going to start running as soon as we hit land, am I right?"

"That's right."

"I understand. I was wondering if I could ask for your help, then. Or rather, a friend of yours. I put together what's been happening lately, the whole thing with Eggman and Pearson's old work. Helps that I've got someone real close to the action, too, but she's been too tied up to contact me. Not that it'd be a good idea in the first place…I really have little in the way of privacy besides on this sub here."

"No privacy? Didn't think I'd hear that from someone so high up on the ladder," Sonic said.

"The old boys' club feels the need to muzzle me by any means. Information's getting to me very slowly, and I'm left out of the loop a lot of the time. G.U.N has troops near the hospital where Ellen Pearson is, and I was planning to have a few Marines make their way over for support."

The mess specialist laid two trays of food on the table in front of them.

"Thanks," Josie and Sonic said as the man saluted.

"No problem."

"So what'd you need my help for?" Sonic asked as they were again left alone.

"I want in on this clandestine business the Joint Chiefs, SecDef, and the President seem so intent on keeping under wraps. I know as much as you know, but I should have access to more things than I do right now. They tried to restrict my access to some places without me knowing, but that didn't go so well. I'm still stuck, and I hear you've got a wizard on your team."

"Talking about Tails, right? Yeah, dude's a pro. I think he's flying missions against Eggman since I can't attack for the next two and a half weeks, give or take. I'd contact him but you guys are probably radio silent right now. That and my communicator's probably busted up from that blast. How bad do you need me to get a hold of him?"

"Pretty badly. I caught that we moved to DEFCON 1 a while ago…other than that, didn't peg you as someone who knew about subs, Sonic."

He shrugged. "I've been at sea a bit. Nothing special." At the very least, this sub was a lot roomier than the Deep Typhoon…he hadn't liked that thing much when they had to use it back in Blaze's world, and Marine's annoyance factor went up exponentially in closed spaces…

"Interesting. Maybe we could swap stories sometime."

"Hope you like being regaled with tales of robot pirates," Sonic said with a laugh.

"Who wouldn't?" Josie replied with a smile. "Might as well dig in before we get back to shore. You wanna fly to Arlington with me?"

"It'd be nice…but I probably would prefer running better."

"Fair enough," Josie said as she bit into a French fry. "You can meet me there, then. Just take care of yourself, alright?"

"Yes ma'am."

"Good," Josie said with another smile. "Now, eat up. Can't have you going hungry, Boy Blue."

* * *

Shadow the Hedgehog stood atop the highest building in the hospital complex, looking directly at a certain window as G.U.N Spec Ops snipers lay on either side of him in camouflage gear.

Observing movement on the ground, he used Chaos Control to warp himself down to the parking lot before moving towards the new target. A familiar presence was nearby…

"Must be him. Though I wouldn't think that Spike would be dumb enough to come here after what he's done…"

Another pulse of energy was trailing him, just as he came into view.

_But what is…wait a moment._

"That olive girl…what is she doing here?"

An SUV came sliding to a stop in the parking lot, a blonde-haired woman in plainclothes jumping out of the driver's side door and aiming a handgun at Spike as he stopped in his tracks.

"Steven! Stop right there!"

The Chaotix rushed out of the back door, Espio already breaking into a hard sprint towards Spike, who flinched at the sudden rush of violet.

But Espio wasn't aiming for him, and Shadow knew it.

A loud roar erupted from behind Spike, a streak of olive bearing down on his back. The sliver sword in her hands shone with white light as she lashed out at the green hedgehog, eyes hardened with fury.

"I'll kill you!"

Wilhelmina cursed under her breath as her target changed, Espio readying a kunai to throw at Lucy so that she could slow down. Spike spun around, a spiralling sphere of wind forming in his tense and veined hand.

"Die, bitch!"

Shadow burst forward to stop them both before Espio had to, but as he felt another energy appear in the area, he knew it was getting trickier by the second.

"In position, we have the shot," came the relay from the snipers on the rooftops.

"No solution! **No solution!**" he barked into his communicator. His arm shot out towards Spike, a green pulse of energy hitting the hedgehog and sending him flying backwards. The strike from Lucy missed and tore into the concrete below as Espio immediately pinned Lucy to the ground. Shadow called a rifle to his hands and aimed it at Wilhelmina, who had drawn another pistol and was in a screaming match with several G.U.N troops that had started to surround her. Charmy was buzzing around Vector, who was in a fighting stance and looked nervous as a strange looking doll had appeared.

"Oh, hey! It's a teddy bear!" the bee shouted.

"**Don't touch it!**"

Shadow turned and fired several shots at the puppet creature, watching in disbelief as the red jewel perched on an antenna coming from its head lit up. The bullets slowed to a stop in midair and fell to the ground.

"Son of a-"

"We've got a situation here…uh, the subject has left the building, I repeat, the subject has left the building."

"What the hell do you mean the subject's left the building? Where is she?" Shadow yelled back at the transmission.

"We mean to say tha-oh shit! We need reinforcements ASAP, something's…what the fu-"

An explosion came from the window now directly above Shadow.

The window to Ellen Pearson's room.

Shadow turned to see a large, dragon-like machine race to the destroyed room, open up its head area and take in two figures – two that he knew from a glance – before jetting off into the skies again, gunfire bouncing off of its exterior.

He turned his attention back to the creepy stuffed animal, which was advancing towards Vector, Charmy, and Wilhelmina.

Espio grunted loudly as he clutched his eyes, a burst of light exploding in his face and blinding him. Lucy took off again, picking up her sword and bee lining for Spike once more. Wilhelmina again trained one of her weapons on the olive hedgehog, and the G.U.N soldiers again trained their weapons on Wilhelmina.

A vein throbbed on Shadow's forehead, and his hands jumped with energy.

This foolishness would come to an end. Right. Now.

"**Chaos Disruptor!**"

A blast of concussive force shot outwards from Shadow's body, slamming into everyone present and knocking them to the ground hard. Spike again tasted pavement, Lucy flew into a light pole, Espio landed on his feet, the humans in the area were scattered, Vector and Charmy slammed into the SUV, which had its windows shattered, and the strange doll had been blown away. Where it went, he didn't know or particularly care at this point.

After a few moments of silence, Shadow tapped his communicator and spoke.

"All clear."

This was going to be one heck of a workweek.


	50. Best of Seven, Act 5: Point of No Return

Welcome to the fiftieth installment of Dropkick Symphony. From small beginnings in the first chapter, this work has gone through a lot of twists and turns just to get to this point in time. Things that have happened in the course of this story that might not have happened if I changed a word or two, or decided to introduce a character a chapter earlier or later. I've had a ton of ideas that I ended up tossing out in favor of others, and I have no regrets for doing so.

This thing's not at all perfect, really. But I'm so satisfied with the way that things are going, and it makes me want to see this through to the end. So that's what I'll do. Thanks as always for all of the reviews, favorties, follows, messages, and general support from everyone, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm also trying something new with the styling of my chapters, so I hope that goes over well, too.

* * *

**Dropkick Symphony ****050.**

**Best of Seven, Part 5: Point of No Return**

* * *

___hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgeh_  


* * *

The Guardian Units of Nations had a relatively small facility in New Mexico's White Sands area, a few miles from the White Sands Missile Range operated by the United States Army.

Barely above two stories, it had a handful of personnel and armed soldiers taking information and requests locally. It was a quiet post for the most part, given that there was a small population and there wasn't much activity to speak of.

Well, above ground, at least.

Nobody was surprised when Shadow the Hedgehog casually walked through the front door of the White Sands post, the receptionist barely looking upwards as she tapped her headset.

"Good morning, Agent Shadow. How may I help you today?"

"Requesting clearance for entry into the lower level facilities."

"Name, position, and code, please."

"Shadow the Hedgehog, Special Operations. 50-07-23-1X."

"Purpose for today's visit?"

"Subjects Lima Foxtrot, Sierra Tango, Whiskey Lima, and Charlie Group."

"Subjects…confirmed. Charlie Group has been released without incident. Whiskey Lima is a…Code Zero-X, according to USSOCOM, we got word from them late last night. She's on her way to the Pentagon via Hollowman AFB."

"Do you have access to Zero-X at all?" Shadow asked.

"I do since you've asked, Agent."

"Good. Get me the info on Whiskey Lima ASAP."

"Yes, sir. Lima Foxtrot is in B-21, Sierra Tango in CC-3."

"How did he get into CC-3?"

"Whined about it."

Shadow shook his head. "Right. Figures."

"Everything should be clear, Agent Shadow. Have a nice day."

"Thanks." He walked past the receptionist's desk, towards a small door being guarded by one man in a three-piece suit. Dark sunglasses covered his eyes as he looked the black hedgehog over once.

"Password."

"I am the password."

The man held one hand to his ear before nodding.

"Permission granted."

He stepped aside, allowing Shadow to turn the door handle and walk down the flight of stairs. A long corridor split up into several different paths at its halfway point, all completely identical in every way. Seemingly random sets of numbers were painted inside of white arrows on the walls near the path splits; understanding these was key if you wanted to get anywhere within these sections of the base.

All paths led to one elevator, able to hold several people in some cases and only one person in others. Shadow walked down until he reached a single-person elevator and pressed a button.

It stopped at a predetermined point and the doors opened, allowing the black hedgehog to walk out and into another maze of corridors. Continuing on, he reached a wide open space with tables and chairs, the base's cafeteria. He loaded a tray with food and a can of soda before moving on, heading towards another elevator that led to Section B of the containment facilities.

The corridor was dimly lit, doors spaced extremely far apart.

Coming to the 21st door, Shadow placed his hand on the scanner beside the handle. A green light blinked on and the lock released itself, allowing the black hedgehog into the narrow room. A table and two chairs took up about half of the room's available space.

Shadow punched in a code to the small box attached to one of the walls, opening it up and pulling out a manila envelope. He placed the tray on the table and took his seat across from his sleeping guest, dim light from the room's hanging bulb barely illuminating her face.

Lucille Flower woke with a start, rubbing her eyes as she yawned. It was then that she realized that the handcuffs placed on her earlier were now gone. Shadow spun them on one finger and pushed the tray of food towards her.

"Eat up."

Lucy hung her head in response.

"I…Shadow, I was so…"

"I know how you feel."

She looked up at him. "You…do?"

"Many years ago, I lost someone dear to me. My best friend, the only one I could ever truly care about. She tried to save me from capture aboard the space colony where we lived. But she died in the process…I woke up fifty years later, but it was like only a moment had passed. I could still see her, telling me with her last breaths to give hope to humanity, to give the people of Earth a chance…even after what they did to her."

_Oh, Shadow…_

Lucy listened on, her ears flattening against her head.

"I…keep seeing her dying there, even now. Bleeding out onto the floor of the colony, that last room. I can hear her voice, in my dreams…and in my nightmares. I am and always have been a living weapon. I lost my way, forgot her purpose, and tried to destroy the Earth that she so loved. I would have succeeded if not for them…those two hedgehogs."

"You mean to say…Sonic and Amy?"

"Indeed." He smirked. "The blue hedgehog was – and is, I suppose – a worthy adversary. And a strong partner, as much as it pains me to admit. He helped me to see the error of my ways…and I see a bit of her in him. Of Maria, I mean…"

"Maria…" she whispered. "A-and Amy? What did...?"

"She was the one who reached me with her pleading…she reminded me of what Maria truly wanted. Not vengeance for her soul, no. She wanted the Earth to be protected, to be saved. And I, as the Ultimate Life, was the perfect one to carry out her wishes. I defeated that ugly prototype and stopped the destruction of Earth. I was ready to meet her again, but it seems that there was a greater plan for me in the end. I still have many nightmares, of hurt and betrayal, of losing the ones I care about…"

"How do you keep going?" Lucy asked softly.

"I do as Maria has asked of me. That in and of itself is more than enough to sustain me."

"What happens when that's not enough? What happens if you still feel so hollow inside?"

"…What has Rose asked of you?"

Lucy looked up, thinking for a moment. "That I be myself…that I be a light to others. She believed in me, that I could change this world for the better. Even in this time, she cared so much for me…"

"Focus on those thoughts. Focus on her and what she has left you for now."

"For…now?"

"She will return."

Lucy shook her head. "No…she's gone again. I…we're not destined to be near each other, it has to be the case. She's not coming back."

"She will return."

"Why do you say that, Shadow?"

"Because he mentioned it before. 'Two weeks', he said. Today is maybe the twelfth day since then…two more days until he sets out."

"Where?"

Shadow shrugged. "Who knows?"

"But…how are you so sure, then?"

"He has…done many things for the sake of peace. Many more for the sake of his friends. He would go to any lengths to rescue someone from whatever circumstances they were in, but for her, he'd do a lot more than just that. I don't know if it is his will to walk into the land of the dead, but if it is for her, then you can be assured he will do it. Sonic is a buffoon, but all things aside…when he says that he will do something, it gets done."

"…"

"There is no more reason to despair. Anger and hate are a part of us. They always will be. The difference between you and someone else will be whether or not you let that hatred consume you. You have someone to hold on to, someone who cherishes you with all of their heart. I have lost the person I cared about the most, and she only exists in my dreams. But you have another chance with your beloved. Rise up and make yourself an instrument of power. If not for your own sake, then for hers."

He warped a fork into her hand. "Eat and gain your strength. Meditate for the next two hours afterwards. You'll be transported to Edwards AFB in the time following."

Lucy looked at the utensil in her hand, then back at Shadow, her lavender eyes shining with fresh determination.

_To make myself…better…_

"For her sake…for Amy, because I…"

She nodded and dug into the tray of food, Shadow leaving a bottle of water near her before he opened up his envelope.

He was suddenly encountered with a dilemma as he read.

"This is…"

"Shadow?"

"Stay here and finish eating. I must go."

"What's wrong?"

"A wellspring of secrets are rising to the surface. And what's worse is that they've made another terrible mistake. You'll be likely dropped off in Central City. Once there, head to the HQ as fast as possible. Tell them that you have an urgent message for the Commander."

"Shadow, why?"

"Just do as I ask," he said sternly. After putting the documents back into the envelope and sealing it again, he quickly left the room and enabled extra security on it.

"This is no good. This is really no good. White Sands, I need confirmation on Sierra Tango."

_"He should be in CC-3 at present."_

"Negative. Check the manifests, camera records, room entry and exit times."

_"…"_

"White Sands Command, do you read?"

_"Agent Shadow…I have no records for Sierra Tango past 0800."_

"Time is 0945…must mean…check for any outgoing movement towards either Hollowman or Edwards."

_"Negative. All we have is a Herky Bird with supplies-"_

"C-130. Check the cargo and destination."

_"No abnormalities with the cargo, Agent…the C-130J will be landing at Langley."_

"Figures," Shadow muttered. "Thank you, White Sands. Shadow out."

_He's on that plane, but it's not my problem right now. If my hunch is correct…those two will be over there. What I need to do is find out what's going on and why it's going on._

Shadow focused on his next location, energy building around him.

_Now the work really starts._

He disappeared in a burst of green light.

* * *

"Welcome, welcome. Do have a seat, Miss Pearson."

"Thank you."

Ellen Pearson and Luna Kaguya were escorted into the new office of Doctor Eggman, seating themselves in the large chairs that were in front of his desk. The scientist took a seat himself, biting into a large sandwich.

"I didn't think that there needed to be such a noise," Ellen said with disapproval. "Luna and I could have made our way here quietly enough."

"As if G.U.N and the U.S. Marines would have allowed it," Eggman retorted. "And I'm sick of dealing with bureaucrats as it is. A direct approach suited this situation."

"You were afraid of Shadow's involvement," she concluded.

"Hmph. It might have been one of the factors, but there are many."

"I see. Doctor, what are your plans for me, exactly?"

"The reason I need you is to finally unlock the potential of those three hedgehogs, as your grandfather intended."

"Yes. I know everything, Doctor Robotnik."

"You do?" he said in disbelief. "How?"

"His journals…there were several hidden codes inside of them that led me to this place. I understand what he wanted to do now."

"Ah, the journals. Interesting," Eggman said as he took another bite from his sandwich.

"It was also Luna's desire to have me come here, since there was a chance that I might be cured of my illness through this experiment. Grandfather created parts of a medicine through their genetic material in hopes of making my own stronger. And that in turn would help me to survive this sickness taking over my body. We all would complete each other in his final plan."

"Mm…I see. And where might these journals be?"

"I took the liberty of destroying them once I memorized all of the contents."

"You **what? You little…!**"

Luna glared at the doctor as he stood up, anger plastered onto his face. Ellen sat calmly, staring straight ahead at the wall behind his desk.

"We will have no need for them. Not once this project is completed."

"Grr…you realize what you're walking into, don't you? Once the awakenings are completed, I will finally be able to build my perfect world. Not even that meddling hedgehog can deal with three super-powered beings!"

"And in exchange, will you grant them safety and protection?" Ellen asked.

"Of course I will. As long as you all pledge your loyalty to me. Then again, I might just let you go on home, being just a human girl at best."

"Doctor…I believe you'll see that I am a bigger part of this operation than you have thought possible."

Eggman grinned back at her. "Arrogant, aren't we? As far as your grandfather and I are concerned, you are simply the key that unlocks the infinite possibilities for this world of ours. To think that you're any more than that, especially in your condition, is ludicrous."

"We shall see."

"Indeed we shall," he muttered. "When do you wish to get started, Miss Pearson?"

"As soon as possible."

"Very well, then. I suppose we'll retrieve Tempest from his flight, then."

"Flight?" Ellen asked.

"…" Luna looked at the doctor with suspicion.

"Patience. All will be revealed in time." Eggman pushed a button underneath the desk, causing a computer screen to rise up from its center.

"Tracking chips are quite useful in situations like these, aren't they? Now…you're heading eastward, and Metal Knuckles is still on his way back for repairs. Tails Doll is still in Station Square for surveillance, which leaves Metal Sonic to track down the ruffian."

"What is it that you plan to do, Doctor Robotnik?"

"Nothing much. Just a little demonstration of power, that's all."

* * *

"_Defender One-One, this is Green Monster. Holding steady at Angels one-one."_

"_Green Monster, this is Defender One-One. Acknowledge."_

"_This is Defender One-Two. Copy."_

Flying towards Langley Air Force Base were three USAF aircraft. The largest of them was a C-130J Super Hercules, carrying various supplies from the G.U.N White Sands facility to Langley for classified reasons. Among them was Spike Tempest, stowed inside of a large box that had several air holes punched into it.

On either side of the 'Herky Bird' were F-35 Lightning II stealth multirole fighters, flying slightly behind the larger four engine aircraft at eleven thousand feet in the air.

"_Defender One-One, this is Defender One-Two. I have a bogey coming in on my two o' clock. Angels seven and rising, over."_

"_Defender One-Two, do you have a visual?"_

"_Negative, Defender One-One. Think I'm painted, but this guy's far out and has no profile to speak of."_

"_Get your ECMs up. Might be something strange going on."_

"_Wilco."_

The F-35s flew in a bit closer to the Hercules, looking out for any more possible threats.

"_Defender One-One, this guy's coming in hot on my 12 o' clock. Angels one-one, this guy's gotta be a bandit."_

"_Green Monster, this is Defender One-One, buster, buster, buster. Defender One-Two, military power, over."_

"_Wilco, Defender One-One."_

"_Affirm, Defender One-One. Think this guy's just gonna make a pass at us, over."_

A blue streak shot through the air towards the three aircraft, picking up speed as it went along.

"_This is Defender One-One, I'm engaging this guy. He's level with us and isn't going to stop any time soon, over._

"_This is Defender One-Two, affirm. Watching your six, over."_

"_Roger that, One-Two."_

"_Defender One-One, this is Green Monster. I've got some heavy metal playing, over."_

"_Green Monster, this is Defender One-Two, say again, over."_

"…"

"_Green Monster, do you read?"_

"…"

"_One-One, do you read?"_

"_I read, One-Two."_

"_Bandit's supercruising right now, over."_

"_Break right and buster, One-Two. Have Green Monster follow, over."_

"_Affirm, One-One."_

The F-35 on the right started to pull right quickly, but the flying object picked up speed at an impossible pace.

"_Jink right, One-Two. Watch your backside, I'm letting loose."_

"_Affirm, One-One."_

"_Defender One, Fox Two!"_

The Sidewinder missile fired from the underside of the F-35, streaking towards its target. It locked onto the heat signature of the fast moving object and chased it down, exploding in a ball of flame.

However, the enemy hadn't stopped.

"_Oh, shit-!"_

The blue streak ripped through the fuselage of Defender One-Two, sending the F-35 into an electrified spiral before it exploded into pieces. The pilot ejected just in time, floating towards Earth as his parachute deployed.

"_Defender One-One to Command, I've just lost my wingman and am Lights Out! Something's up here giving us hell!"_

"_Command to Defender One-One, we read."_

"_I'm gonna need some backup here, whatever the fuck this thing is, it ripped through my goddamn Sidewinder-"_

The remaining F-35 lost a wing, spinning out of control. The pilot ejected as the plane dropped towards the ground.

A flash of deep blue punched through the rear of the C-130J and into the cargo hold. Flashing red eyes scanned the area for heat signatures, finding one inside of a large crate. The metallic arm tore into the wooden box and pulled Spike Tempest out through one side, wood splintering over his head.

"What the fuck was that for?"

"It is time to make our exit."

Metal Sonic knelt down in front of Spike and placed one hand on the floor of the aircraft before flooding it with electricity. Reaching into the compartment in his chest, the robot produced a Chaos Emerald and gripped it tightly, sharp bursts of energy coming from beneath his hand.

"Make sure that you are secured."

"Yeah, yeah…"

All four propellers of the Super Hercules stopped as the plane started its freefall towards Earth, control systems sparking and sputtering from the electrical overload. The unfortunate crew were electrocuted by the violent surge of energy, leaving Metal Sonic and Spike to float as the plane dropped in altitude.

"Holy sh-!"

Metal grabbed the green hedgehog's arm before inducing Chaos Control, warping them out of the plane before it hit the ground. The aircraft was flattened by its impact before exploding in a rolling ball of flame.

Spike let out a sigh of relief as his feet touched solid ground once more, this time inside of the Pearson Labs.

"Target secured, Master."

Eggman's head snapped up, and he rose from his chair in the office at the report. "Good work, Metal Sonic. Any problems?"

"Only a few hostiles. They were easily taken care of."

"Hm. Very well, then." He turned to Ellen and Luna as they sat quietly.

"Shall we begin, Miss Pearson?"

The white-haired girl nodded slowly.

"I'm ready. Show me the way, Doctor Robotnik."

* * *

"Sir, ma'am…! You can't just…!"

"Watch me!"

Long strawberry blonde hair swirling around her, Josie Lewis stomped through the West Wing of the White House. She went down towards the basement, only to be stopped by two men.

"Ma'am, we're going to ask you to-"

"Shut. **Up.** Get out of my way, or so help me God I will-"

Something pushed open the doors to the Situation Room, where the President, several uniformed men, and others sat around a long table. Large-screen televisions broadcasted news footage from stations around the world, and computer screens flipped up from panels built into the large table that everyone occupied. Several computer terminals were in use at one end of the room, and all eyes were on the large screen that lit up the far end of the Situation Room.

That was, until one Sonic the Hedgehog burst in.

"Uh, Mister President?"

All eyes turned to him, and he chuckled nervously.

"You know that saying, 'hell hath no fury' and all that? Well…um, you might want to deal with this. Like _yesterday._"

"**There had better be a damn good explanation for this bullshit!**"

"Actually…more like last week."

Josie pushed past the men in front of her, green eyes blazing with fury. She slammed her hands down on the edge of the large table, shaking it all the way down to where the President sat.

"Madam Secretary, I-"

"No. You don't get to crawl out of this one, _sir_. You're going to let me and **everyone else** in this room know what the Sam Hill is going on around here. You're going to tell me where my sister is. And we are **all** going to get to the bottom of this." She glared at a staffer, who rushed to close the doors shut again, securing the room. "So, who wants to start the conversation?"

"President Conway, are you going to let one of your subordinates walk all over you like this?"

Leon Conway was one of the younger presidents in history at only thirty-seven years of age, a sharp-minded, well dressed fellow. He had a head of black hair that was swept backwards and pointed straight out, something strange that seemed to run in his family on his mother's side. He gave the Secretary of the Navy a bold look with his grey eyes, even as she bore into him with her own green.

"I'm not going to let anyone do anything they're not meant to," he responded curtly. "So I believe I'll let Secretary Lewis say her piece."

"..."

Sonic looked on with interest, wondering what exactly Josie had come to find out. The woman lifted her hands from the table, taking in a deep breath.

"All of you in this room know about Project Argonaut, started in the early 1950s as a companion to Project Shadow. Professor Gerald Robotnik lent his input towards the Argonaut project until the raid on Space Colony ARK. The project apparently died along with Shadow until the 1970s, around the time when the Cold War was in full swing. After Vietnam and several high-profile assasinations, it was agreed upon that a new breed of soldier was needed. But training and better weapons wouldn't be enough, no. The ones who resurrected Project Argonaut believed in the concept of the super-soldier, of a real-life Captain America or Wolverine, maybe a Cyclops or a Magneto. With their heads buried in comic book fantasies and the nations of the world so paranoid of each other, the Allied nations of Canada, the United States, and the United Kingdom joined their best minds and resources to create these super-men."

Josie started to walk around the room as she spoke, the men and women turning nervously in their chairs.

"The serum they created was called the 'Golden Fleece'. And they tried it on many enlisted soldiers from various branches of their militaries. Airmen, special operations, medics, Marines, you named it. If they were eligible, they would be injected with this special blend of drugs, steroids, and enhanced vitamins, just to name a few things that were in there. It could have been dangerous, but it wasn't - it wasn't designed to work longer than it really needed to, which was a few months at best. It took to very few of the subjects, and most of those were in the special operations branches. My father was in his twenties when he was selected for the program. Aside from some residuals that probably contribute for his good health today, nothing really remains of the Golden Fleece, or of Project Argonaut."

She stopped in front of Conway.

"Not in him, at least."

"...Josie, what are you...?"

"Mister President, the Golden Fleece induced small changes in my father's DNA in order to make him superhuman. And those small changes, when they were passed down to me, were made into bigger changes. You should understand where I'm going with this."

"You're the same as her...Wilhelmina. But how...?"

"It turns out that the Golden Fleece serum only affected the female progeny of the original subjects. In simpler terms, daughters would reap the benefits of altered genetic code, but only if they worked with it physically. Our parents being in the military, it was only natural that Wilhelmina and I follow in their footsteps eventually. But there were some who knew what we were and started to fear us because of it. I was too far along in the ranks, so the old boys shoved me up into positions where I had no need for much physical skill, positions such as Secretary of the Navy. But her…you caught her and put her in the middle of your petty grievances, made her a tool to use at your disposal."

"The recommendation to move her from White Sands…I see," the President said. "G.U.N might have found out."

"Not simply G.U.N, but someone in particular. Shadow the Hedgehog."

"He must have found out something by now," he said while rubbing his chin. "He's an incredible investigator and soldier from what I know. His partner's no slouch, either."

"Y'mean Rouge, right?" Sonic asked, breaking his silence. "She was here, I guess."

"Yes, her and your young friend, Sonic."

"Tails? Where are they, then?"

"You probably passed them at some point in the air. I gave them access to some of our resources in order to get to information on what is known as the Izanagi Project, headed by Doctor Nicholas Pearson. I figured that by allowing them to do so, we'd get a better handle on our situation. The one they actually came to see first was you, Josie."

There was murmuring around the room as the President spoke; he hadn't revealed that information to anyone beforehand.

"Did they find anything out?" Josie asked.

"Most of the data is either corrupted or missing. The few bits we managed to salvage only told us what we already knew, that this was an operation supported and funded by Allied nations and several benefactors with interests in the program's results."

"What's our next move?" Sonic asked quickly. "I mean, besides trying to stop Eggman from assembling the pieces on his own."

"I believe that's the only thing left at this moment-"

"Mister President, we're getting reports in that the Air Force has lost three aircraft. They left Hollowman AFB earlier today at around 0900," a staffer said nervously.

"What about the crew?"

"The pilots of the two F-35 jetsejected safely, but it appears that the crew of the Super Hercules…has been lost."

"I see," Conway said with a heavy heart. "We need to contact their families. Any idea on what did this?"

"No, sir. There was radar jamming just before the attacks, and all three planes were flying dark as they were attacked."

"I assume that _he_ is among the lost," the President said.

"Actually, sir…there were no traces of Steven Tempest's remains, or anything to suggest that he was on the aircraft when it crashed. From the investigation's findings…he just vanished into thin air."

"No," Sonic interrupted, a serious look on his face. "Someone took him off that plane and used Chaos Control to do it. And the only one who I could think of is Metal Sonic. He's the only one juiced enough to take on military jets like that, and he must have had a Chaos Emerald on him."

"So that means that Spike's clear across the country by now," Josie concluded. "But why go to all that trouble? That Eggman was perfectly content to let Spike travel all the way to Langley before."

"Why's your sister here, though?" Sonic asked her.

"She's an extremely special operative, so special that I don't know what she does outside of her work at Pearson Manor. After being transported all the way to White Sands, I'd imagine that the sensitive information she's privy to explains why she's even around."

Sonic scratched his head. "Pearson…why's that seem so important?"

"What do you mean?"

He turned to the older bureaucrats in the room, giving them a scrutinizing look.

"Is there some kind of connection between Josie's lil' sis and Doc Pearson, maybe?"

The National Security Advisor raised a hand to speak. "There is such a connection, Mister Hedgehog. It was actually requested of one of our former Presidents some time ago that Miss Wilhelmina Lewis be appointed a permanent post with the Pearson family."

"It must have been because of her abilities," Josie said with a nod.

"Correct. He had extensive knowledge on Project Argonaut, given by Gerald Robotnik at some point in time before his passing."

"Must have been that Golden Fleece stuff," Sonic said.

"Of course…deriving something from the Golden Fleece must have been one of his steps for the Izanagi Project, but more importantly for Ellen, his granddaughter when she fell ill," Josie said. "And now she's the key to unlocking weapons of unimaginable power…"

"A key that Eggman won't be in control of," President Conway reminded her. "From what we know of Sonic's contract with the Doctor, Luna Kaguya will hold him in check. Ellen won't allow him to obtain the method of using the keys, and I'm sure that if he tried anything to harm any of those hedgehogs, his plan would be shot."

"She was taken in willingly by Doctor Eggman yesterday," the National Security Advisor continued. "Along with Miss Kaguya."

"Hm. No wonder Spike had to get back in a hurry. The egg-head's getting anxious…"

_But still, I can't help but feel bothered,_ Sonic said to himself. _She's the key to everything, so…why does this feel off?_

_Doesn't feel safe…safe…failsafe…? ARK had that deal where Gerald had a back-up plan in case the Eclipse Cannon failed, and then another one after the Biolizard got beat by Shadow…why'm I thinking of this now?_

"Sonic? You okay?" Josie asked.

_If she's the key, it's not so simple, not like a Chaos Emerald or something inanimate…_

_If she's the key…and the key has its own will…_

_A key with its own will can turn itself inside a lock._

_It owns itself, isn't that the case?_

_And if she's the key, if she's master of herself…_

"Then she owns the key," Sonic concluded. "She's the one in control."

"Who?"

"Ellen, she's the key but is also in _control_ of the key, because she can think and make choices on her own. And if she knows that, then there's only one reason she'd go along with Eggman's plan."

"My God," the President breathed. "If this was her intention from the start…"

"Then we're in a whole world of trouble," Josie finished.

_Tails, buddy…we're gonna need a miracle from you, wherever you are!_

* * *

"Rouge!"

The two had set out to the former G.U.N Headquarters, managing to bypass Eggman's security for the most part.

A strange doll with a resemblance to Tails caught them off-guard, as did the arrival of a damaged yet functional Metal Knuckles. To make matters worse, Metal Sonic had emerged from nowhere, harassing Tails along with the rest of Eggman's creations.

Rouge split herself from Tails, hoping to draw attention away from the kit so that he could do his thing. It had worked for the most part until a swarm of robots blindsided her with laser bursts in a hallway, several of them injuring her wings in the process.

Her ankle now twisted, Rouge gasped for air as she came into the fox's sights, watching as he struggled frantically against Metal Knuckles with his computer in hand. Eventually forced to defend himself, he held up the laptop to deflect a strike from the red robot, stumbling back as it was sliced in two.

"Hold on, kiddo!"

Rouge suppressed the screaming pain in her ankle, rushing forward to deliver a flying kick at Tails' opponent. Just before the blow could connect, Metal Sonic caught her in mid-air and slammed her into the ground head-first.

"No!" Tails scrambled away, Rouge wrestling herself free and reaching for her service pistol.

"Tails! You got some way of storing those files, still?"

"Yeah! But we can't stay here! We're in trouble!"

"It's not going to work like that! We don't get another shot at this, so we have to hang in there! We can push these creeps back and-"

Metal Sonic shot towards Tails, Rouge firing at his back the whole way. One of the bullets slammed into the robot's engine, damaging it. She barely dodged a slash from Metal Knuckles in the ever-tightening corridor, a thin cut on her cheek trickling blood.

Spinning his tails quickly, the fox rammed himself into the stationary Metal Sonic, throwing the robot into a wall. He felt his feet leaving the ground suddenly, unable to move as the strange look-alike doll stared at him.

Rouge fired her weapon, growling as the bullets stopped in the air and fell to the ground. She let out a battle cry and rushed Tails Doll, Metal Knuckles trailing her.

A jet engine roared to life as Metal Sonic rammed himself into her, his hand gripping her leg tightly.

"Pitiful organic."

"You piece of trash!" She aimed her weapon from her upside down position, but a searing pain shot through her and caused her hands to let go of the gun.

"Trash? We'll see who is trash when I'm finished with you, bat woman." The robot's grip increased in pressure, causing Rouge to cry out in pain. Tails struggled against the doll's psychokinesis to no avail.

"Stop it! Let her go!"

"Not yet. Not until I'm done with her." His vice grip tightened on her, and she was sure that if he didn't stop her leg would break.

"Unless…you would like to surrender?" the blue robot said with a tilt of its head.

"S-surrender…"

He looked at Rouge, tears dripping from her face as she tried to remain brave. Metal Knuckles stared into him with crimson eyes, while the doll's were lifeless as it released its psychic hold on him.

"Pledge your allegiance to the Empire of Eggman, and she will be set free."

"I…"

He didn't want to consider this at all, but she was hurting so badly. It had always been in his nature to help his friends, to protect them…any other time, he would have thought something like that stupid to even think about for a moment, but somehow…somehow, he couldn't stand to see her like that.

He couldn't stand to see his _friend_ like that.

"I…"

Rouge snatched her gun from the floor and fired, the bullet sailing through Metal Sonic's glass eye and shattering it.

"Take your deals and go to hell! **We're not buying!**"

"You lose, bat."

In a split second, Metal Sonic's grip went all the way to full. Rouge could barely feel herself thinking as the bone in her leg was crushed to pieces, her body dropping to the floor as the robot let go.

The pain started to rush to her head as the red robot stood over her, its clawed hand raised and ready to end her life. She was gasping for air, trying to find the strength to move, to scream for her companion to run away, to do something other than just lie there…

But nothing came. Nobody was coming for them.

It really was…

Over?

Through her disoriented hearing, a scream sounded down the halls, and a warm burst of energy made her fur stand on end. She was being moved somewhere, and the fresh air of the outdoors touched her skin.

The coolness of a brick wall touched her back, dulled pain running through her broken wings.

Her tears started to die down, and she could see his back, how it had somehow broadened as he stood in front of her. The two robots stood at length, one red and one blue as they stared him down. A red device formed over his right hand, pulsing with energy.

"T-Tailsie…?" she whispered.

He looked back at her, deep violet eyes replacing his once innocent blue.

"We're going home as soon as I finish up here…"

"What if…you don't…"

"No. There's no two ways about it, Rouge. I'll save you, and I'll win this fight."

He turned back towards the robots as they charged.

"**It's already been decided!**"

* * *

___________og ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgehog ~  
_

* * *

Sonic and Josie figure out what's really going on with Ellen and Project Izanagi, and Shadow's on the trail as well. Tails undergoes a strange transformation, but will it be enough to stop two of Eggman's deadliest robots and save Rouge? Amy's fate is still in limbo, Lucy has to deliver a message, the three siblings are reunited in the strangest of circumstances, and it seems like everything's going haywire...and with all of these questions, we start to wonder who Wilhelmina Lewis really is, and how much of an impact she will make - or already has made - on this story of ours.

**051 - Best of Seven, Part 6: Final Approach**

- Unexpected results and a mad dash to a wild finish. The journey to 053 begins for Sonic..._both_ of them, that is.


	51. Best of Seven, Act 6: Final Approach

I didn't really plan on this being another long chapter, but…well. Here it is. Hopefully you enjoy it, and thanks for all of the reviews and support thus far.

Last chapter left Tails and Rouge in a predicament, as well as Sonic and Josie finding out a few strange things. Shadow was obviously in a hurry, but for what reason? This part of the story might not go the way anyone would expect.

* * *

**Dropkick Symphony 051.**

**Best of Seven, Part 6: Final Approach**

* * *

_____hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

_We stand today in the light of the sun, looking skyward._

_We have risen up from an era of darkness and fear, an era of bloodshed and hatred. We have come so far in such a short period of time._

_We stand today in the light of the sun._

_But our shadows are cast over those below us, over the ones who will eventually inherit our thrones and the earth thereof. We keep them, the young, in the darkness and shove them aside, our foolish pride standing before us. Old and broken men such as I should stand aside and allow the light to shine down upon our children. We should teach them the way to live, so that when they also grow old, they will share the light with others._

_But it will not be so, will it?_

_We deprive them of the glory of the sunlight, yet one thing remains in them. _

_It is their will._

_They will claw their ways to the light in various fashions, and will come upon in forms that we cannot predict or fathom. They will rise up and gain unimaginable power, they will rise up and start to change and shift this world as we know it. They will become the greatest heroes and the worst monsters in history._

_All because of free will, because of choice. The choice between light and darkness._

_This is why I leave the choice to one individual, one who has been able to look upon the world without bias or favour, without just love or simply hatred. One who, in the end desired and still desires change above all else._

_One who can grasp the future and crush it in their hands._

_I understand it all now, after so many years of research and experimentation and living on this planet of ours, as well as having a life among the stars._

_Change is nothing without the power to follow it. _

_So I give this power to the one most deserving of it. Not simply one who has a dream or vision, or ambition, no. I give this power to the one who is willing to become the future themselves after obliterating the hold of destiny over all things._

_Can you see it in front of you? The world, laid bare?_

_Reach for what is in your sight. If you want it, it will be yours._

_I know you, Ellen. I know what you want, what you have always wanted. Maybe you have forgotten, but I know that by now, you will have remembered, and you will know the truth. _

_Prepare yourself._

_This is but the end of the beginning._

The girl's hands flew across the keyboard in front of her, causing the metal floor below the capsules ahead to shift and rise up, electronics flashing bright light everywhere as they activated. Tubes of different sizes attached themselves to each of the three capsules as they lowered towards the ground in preparation for their occupants, as well as onto a fourth as it rose up from the ground just in front of them. Thick steam spilled from the glass door as it opened up.

Eggman stood in silence, listening to the messages from Nicholas Pearson as he spoke through his past recordings, haunting messages echoing off of the hangar's walls and into the vast, empty space around them.

"All the world shall crumble before the new power in front of it…all shall see what the coming of the new day will bring…"

Ellen turned to the hedgehogs standing behind her along with the doctor. Sakura, her clothing still damp and pink fur pressed against her body. Spike, who had his arms crossed and seemed bored, though his muscles were bulging and twitching as he looked on. Luna, who stared silently as Ellen walked towards them.

"All of you…please, come here a moment."

Slowly, the four came together.

"Ellie…what is it?" Sakura asked nervously.

"I…I know that this is a bit late, but I want to know how you're all feeling right now. How everything's been for you, and what you think of all this."

"You're asking us now? Kind of dumb, don't you think?"

"…!" Luna glared at her brother.

"Whatever."

"I understand…it doesn't make much sense…"

"No, it makes perfect sense," Sakura said. "You're just thinking of us, as you always have. As you…always will."

"I…listen, I…" Ellen shook her head, trying to find a way to explain herself.

"Ellie, will this make you better?"

"Yes, it should. According to what Grandfather has in his data…"

"Then that's all the reason I need," Sakura concluded. "It's all the reason I'll ever need. I want to protect you, all of you. I want to make Steven better, to heal the scars from his past. I want to see my sister Luna grow and blossom into a fine woman. And I want to help heal you, make you the bright and lovely girl I grew up with all those years ago. I love you so much, and I'll do anything for you…"

"Sakura…"

"I want this, too."

They turned to the green hedgehog.

"Yeah, I want power. I want to be the strongest, to be able to crush anything in my path. I hated…feeling helpless all my life. Hated being weak and useless. But after this…yeah, after this, I'll be unstoppable. And it's better this way, because I don't have to kill you all to get what I want," he growled.

"Would you…would you use that strength for me, Steven?" Ellen asked softly.

"You…"

He looked into her eyes, seeing the sparkle that remained in them. A deep sort of love for him, even after what he'd done and how useless he had been.

It seemed that he owed her this much…

"…I'll spare you my wrath, Ellen. I promise you that much."

"Seems that's as close as I'll get," she said with a smile."Thank you. I really mean it, and I love you for it."

"Yeah, sure."

"As for you, Luna…I can probably guess your answer."

A small smile graced the hedgehog's lips, and she nodded in affirmation.

"Thank you…I love you all so much, and I can't say it enough. I…I don't know where I would be without you by my side, especially when I was sick and hurting so badly. You were the reason I could smile so much…"

"Ellie, you gave us so much love, even with the way you were. And now, we can give something precious back to you. I won't hesitate, none of us will," Sakura said.

"You at least deserve that cure, Ells," Spike said in agreement.

"..."

"But...you know what the consequences might be once this goes through, right?" she asked.

"...!"

"Luna's right," Sakura said with a firm nod. "It doesn't matter what happens to us anymore, because we know our purpose. You being okay, that's all that counts now. So if you're going to turn back, don't bother doing it for our sakes. We're willing to make those sacrifices."

"I didn't think..."

Ellen wiped the tears from her eyes, staring towards the huge monitor ahead that was filling up with data. She somehow knew what the end result would be, but to have them commit to it so willingly...she could only hope that they were themselves when this was over with. That nothing between them would change. Even with her grandfather's ambitions, she still saw them as family, as irreplacable no matter what the circumstances might be.

Precious beyond anything else in this world.

_"Hi, my name's Ellen! What's yours?"_

She looked over at Spike, tense and shivering in anticipation.

_"Don't got a name, an' don't need one."_

Her head turned towards Sakura, the pink hedgehog calm as she smiled back.

_"Please forgive him...we've just had a long journey, and we're all tired. We don't have names...but we know that you'll take care of us all the same."_

_"Of course! Mom and Dad and Grandpa wanted to take you in, right? So we'll have lotsa fun together!"_

_"Thank you..."_

Her eyes finally rested on Luna, who stared in awe at the equipment around her.

_"..."_

_"You're shy? It's okay, I used to be like that, too! And-and, I'll give you all names, good ones!"_

_"..."_

_"You're very welcome! No need to worry, I'll take care of you all, I promise! For ever and ever and ever, 'kay?"_

"I-I meant it...what I said..."

"What was that?" Sakura asked.

"The first time we met...I said that I'd take care of you forever...I really and truly meant that, and no matter what happens, I'll take care of you after this. I-I mean it, okay? Don't think I forgot my promise..."

"I know that you haven't," Sakura said softly. "We've always trusted you, Ellen. Always."

"T-then...we...we should begin."

"Whenever you're ready," Spike said.

"Whenever I'm ready," Ellen repeated. She stared at the four glass capsules ahead, connected to each other by a complicated series of tubes. Strong, twisted, complicated bonds that were hard to break by anyone or anything.

Bonds that tied them together.

How...amazing, she thought to herself. It seemed like everything was a sign, like everything was speaking to her in one way or another through those amazing, heightened senses she had gained. Everything just suddenly made sense...

"It's time to begin," she said confidently. "The future is now."

She typed one last line of code into the machine before leaving it, walking towards the capsule that she would float in for her grandfather's last experiment.

"Doctor Robotnik...I want to ask you if you're sure about continuing this experiment."

"Why would I second-guess myself at this point?"

Ellen gave the scientist a cold look.

"Why, indeed," she said softly as she walked past him.

_Hmph. Arrogant little girl...once you become a piece of my Eggman Empire, I'll show you the meaning of respect. While your grandfather may have been a genius of his time, you're nothing but a weak little brat. Assuming this little procedure doesn't kill you outright, you'll be powerless to stop me from using those hedgehogs to take over the world. Just imagining the look on Sonic's face when he's finally wiped from existence...and he still can't lay a hand on me for two more weeks!_

_Victory is within my grasp..._

"As soon as we are all inside of the capsules, please start the sequence. Until we meet again, Doctor Robotnik."

"Yes, until we meet again."

Ellen, Luna, Spike, and Sakura each stepped into their capsules, Eggman entering the proper sequences into the computer to start the machines up. Needle-tipped tubules stuck themselves into the arms of the capsules' occupants as the insides began to fill up with a strange green liquid. Blood drained from each of them through long tubes, and into a mixing pump before they were redistributed in specific measurements, most of which went into Ellen's bloodstream.

A strange tingle went through her body as she felt herself starting to relax, eyes sliding closed as the warm liquid surrounded her.

Not a second later, they snapped open in panic.

Blue eyes widened as a searing pain tore through every inch of her body, limbs on fire and completely paralyzed. Her mouth opened and a surge of bubbles rushed out, clouding the field of green around her as Eggman moved into action. He really didn't care much for the girl, but if something happened to her, then everything might be lost in the process. She had to live through to the end so that everything would work as intended.

"I should be able to shut this machine down for now. Easily done-"

Lights began to flash and sirens blared in the background as the equipment started to push itself beyond its normal limits. The output was now two hundred percent and rising as Ellen screamed out silently, unable to move even her head as pain flooded her body. Her vision was filled with strange waves of light, changing colour as every second passed and her mind numbed.

"What is this? The overrides…they were never there! The output's actually increasing…! Two hundred…two hundred fifty…three hundred and rising!"

Eggman scrambled to bring the system under control as it sparked and sputtered, power increasing as the human girl's body shook in agony.

"Pearson, you tormented old man…was this your scheme all along? It had to be…those override commands actually ended up being useless in the end, and now this system is pushing all that it has through her. A living catalyst…not even my grandfather would do this to his own flesh and blood…"

Her body giving one last twitch forward, Ellen Pearson finally went still. The machinery around her slowed back to its normal pace, trails of bubbles floating in front of blank and lifeless eyes as she floated inside of her glass prison.

She could hear the thumping of her heart growing slower and slower.

She didn't want to die.

It couldn't be so.

She watched as Eggman walked towards the glass capsule, heaviness in his steps as he looked upon her pale and lifeless frame.

_I want…_

The darkness was coming in from all sides, swallowing her up slowly.

_I want…_

Her vitals continued to fall.

_**I want…**_

A finger twitched suddenly.

_**I want…**_

Again.

**I want…**

Again.

**I want…to…**

A pocket of air escaped her throat.

**I want to…live…**

Another finger twitched quickly.

**I want to live.**

Her hand rose up and slammed against the glass.

**I want to live!**

The liquid around her started to swirl and bubble, becoming hotter and hotter with each passing moment. Energy tore through the machinery as the input rose to five hundred percent and did not stop.

**I will not die here!**

Eggman stepped backwards, the shock taking its time to settle in.

_It begins now._

The platform that the capsules stood on exploded in a pillar of smoke and flame, excess energy surging throughout the area and destroying every piece of equipment in sight. Eggman was sent rolling along the ground, bumping into one of the large consoles as a wave of heat washed over him.

He stood up a few minutes later, the smell of burning chemicals assaulting his nose. Shards of glass crunched under his feet as he walked towards the burning wreck that used to be the four capsules in the center of the Pearson Labs. Light from the burning flames shone off of his dark goggles as he crept forward.

A burst of wind snuffed out the flames in the immediate area, whipping the thick clouds of smoke into a spiralling white wall. Shadows danced across it as footsteps sounded in the distance, echoes ringing in the doctor's ears as they became louder and louder.

"Is everything alright, Doctor Robotnik?"

Who was _that_? Certainly not…

"Yes…I'm fine, as you can probably see."

"That's good, very good. I don't suppose you could find me some spare clothing, could you? What I've got on is a bit uncomfortable."

"Unfortunately, I don't exactly have access to such resources right now…Miss Pearson."

"Hm. That's troublesome," the voice replied.

Ellen Peason stepped through the wall of smoke, long and bright red hair swishing about at her back. She gave the doctor a sweet smile and a wave, brushing stray bangs from her blue eyes. Her height had changed along with the rest of her form, peachy skin seeming to give off a glow from a distance. The frail frame from before had been replaced by a strong, healthy physique, her short blouse baring her midriff as it struggled to fit properly over her chest.

"Honestly, if I had known that I would go up all those cup sizes earlier," she muttered as she fought with the garment.

"First world problems," a gruff voice said unsympathetically. Spike Tempest was the next to emerge, his fur a deep green and large quills pointing straight backwards along with the ones that shot from every direction on his head. His eyes shifted to pitch black, and his body was even larger than before, top-heavy and muscular with long and powerful arms. The shirt he wore earlier had been torn apart in the transformation, threads clinging uselessly to his back.

"You're one to talk," a cool and snappy voice followed. Sakura Bright stepped forward, her fur changed to bright amber. Her quills swirled about her, having grown down past her waist in thick locks. A few remained curled up like miniature drills as she had always worn them, resting on her shoulders. Sharp eyes shone with a deep lavender colour, a smirk forming on her lips as Eggman looked on in amazement.

"Like what you see, Doctor?"

"…"

"Excitement's getting to you, I see."

Luna Kaguya was the last to step forward, fur a bleached white and perfectly straightened as parts of it spilled down her shoulders. Her quills remained relaxed against her back, a few from her head curled into spirals around her ears. Casting a look towards Eggman, she whispered softly to herself before turning her head away.

"Look who decided to join the party," Spike said with a grin. Luna rolled her eyes.

"You…y-you…"

"Are supposed to be dead, you're about to say. Incorrect," Ellen said in a smooth tone. "Because the experiment worked as my grandfather intended. It wasn't at all pleasant, but it was what was needed. I almost died…incredible, isn't it?"

"Yes, incredible indeed…what an interesting development this is. I see that you've been restored to full health and that the transformations of your compatriots have been completed…now, we can really get things started! Finally, I'll be able to build Eggman Land, the capital of my Eggman Empire! Earth will be under my control, and that blasted blue rodent won't be able to stop me!"

Eggman rubbed his hands together. "I've won…exactly as planned…"

"Eggman Empire, you say? It sounds like a grand ambition," Ellen said in her sweet voice. "But I'm afraid that you'll have some trouble building it right now."

"What…what are you talking about?"

"Oh, Doctor…don't you understand? You were never in control of this little show."

A smile crossed her lips.

"This entire time…I've had you in the palm of my hand."

* * *

A few minutes earlier, Tails started his duel with the two Eggman robots, Metal Sonic and Metal Knuckles.

Rouge managed to rise to her feet, using the nearby wall as support. She looked on as Tails danced in between a flurry of strikes from the two machines, calmly swaying from side to side and not taking a single blow in the process.

Metal Sonic signalled for his counterpart to clear out before activating his _V. Maximum Overdrive_, the robot's frame flooding with electricity before it spun into a ball and rushed towards the fox. Tails simply stepped backwards before impact, overloading his Magic Cannon with his own burst of electricity before slamming it into the oncoming robot. Bolts of electricity danced through the air as the two made contact, Metal jumping backwards to assess the situation once more.

It didn't make any sense to the robot copy. The amount of Chaos energy in the area had not increased substantially, ambient or otherwise. The Chaos Emerald on his being had not yet been tapped into. What exactly was going on? The colour of his eyes had changed, but beyond that, the data didn't match up at all.

Tails was silent, observing the robot and the surrounding area in his own way. In an instant, he measured the distances between himself and everyone else. Every possible pathway and movement was mapped out in lines of light, angles and trajectories dancing in front of him as he managed them all with ease. Metal Sonic leaned forward at a slight angle; the lines shifted and changed along with his calculations. Rouge took a breath in and the numbers changed again, Metal Knuckles went into an idling state and he adjusted for that in less than a second.

Every motion flickered inside of his head, allowing him to predict motions, countermotions, evasive actions, and anything that one could possibly think of. How far Rouge could run in her condition for five seconds. The percentage of damage on her wings. The start up time for Metal Sonic's jet engine and the cool down rate, the exact voltage he needed to counter the robot's overdrive and how much leverage he would need to deflect an attack. The angle his hands needed to be at in order to catch one of Metal Knuckles' blades.

He knew that Metal Sonic was trying to figure him out, which wasn't a good sign if they wanted to get out of there. This ability, 'Chaos Overclock', didn't last as long as he would like, and the side effects could be nasty if he didn't watch himself…

"Anna? I need your help again."

_Of course, Miles. What can I do for you?_

"I need you to link remotely to the Tornado and get it here as fast as you can, then execute Blast Pattern 2-3-C."

_Understood. Blast Pattern 2-3-C, initialized._

"Rouge, I need you to listen carefully and trust me. Can you do that?"

"Y-yeah…"

"Okay. I want you to look to your right. See that crater up ahead? Go as fast as you can to that spot, and do not stop for anything. I need you to do that. No matter what, just keep going until you hit that spot, and then you'll know what to do next."

"Okay...okay, I got it."

"Good."

_On your command, Miles._

"Go for it, Anna! Rouge, get going!"

The bat took off in a low glide, pushing off with her good leg into the air before swooping downwards. Metal Knuckles was moving to intercept his target when a missile screamed through the air towards him. The red robot charged in a ball of flame and smashed through the weapon, pieces flying in every direction as it exploded.

"Foolish," Metal Sonic said as he rushed Tails again. "Did you think that would stop us?"

The Tornado swooped overhead, peppering the ground ahead of Rouge with laser fire to slow down the red robot. She didn't dare stop, despite the fact that the laser blasts were getting dangerously close…

Tails focused and dodged a flurry of attacks from his opponent, lashing out with his tails in a counter-attack. Metal Sonic dodged and shot around to his back before charging, but Tails aimed his cannon towards the ground and fired a burst that lifted him into the air. Metal turned quickly and pursued, intending to run the fox through while he fell.

"I didn't intend for that missile to stop you."

He smirked.

"But these should."

Warning messages flashed in Metal Sonic's field of vision, allowing the robot to go into overdrive mode and dodge a laser shot from an arrow-shaped laser pod. He dodged several more before falling back a safe distance, watching as the small machines went into orbit around Tails as he landed.

His eyes shifted to the right, and several of the pods shot off in that same direction towards Rouge and Metal Knuckles. The robot had gained distance on Rouge as she started to slow down, the pain in her wings becoming unbearable. The Tornado swooped inwards just as Rouge reached her destination, catching the bat in one of the seats before it turned upright to secure her. Metal Knuckles lunged for his target, only to have two laser bursts slice off his attacking arm cleanly. Rouge lay askew in the Tornado's cockpit, her heart pounding.

The plane came back around just as Tails finished crunching numbers on the Magic Cannon's interface. He ran towards the plane as it passed in front, his cannon becoming an electromagnet and sticking to the plane's frame as it rose into the skies again. The Fireflies followed and stowed themselves back into the plane's wings as it flew away from the area.

Tails pulled himself into the back seat of the plane, exhausted.

"Sweetheart, that was…something," Rouge said. "You really put on a show back there."

"Thanks…"

She gave him a smile. "You know, I've…well, I've never had anyone really do something like that for me, besides Shadow back on Prison Island. But this is kind of different in a way. You really…I guess, bet your life on me."

"Yeah…"

"I appreciate that, I really do. I…Tails?"

"Mm…?"

"Kiddo, you don't look so hot." She reached over to touch his forehead, only to pull her hand away before it got close. "Forget what I said…you're really burning up! What happened to you?"

"It's…just a side effect is all…"

"Side effect?" She noticed that his eyes were blue again, and not the violet she had seen earlier. Could that have been…?

"I'll be fine…"

_There is a cold compress in the cabinet underneath the front seat._

"Who said that?"

_Apologies, Miss Rouge. My name is Anna, Miles' artificial intelligence program._

The vixen appeared as a hologram, standing on the back end on the plane behind Tails.

"An AI…whoa. Check you out, Tailsie. So you said the compress is under the seat? Got it."

_His temperature should go down on its own, but the compress will certainly help._

"It's super cold," Rouge said.

_Yes, it was designed for these sorts of situations per my request._

"Yeah? Sounds pretty responsible of you," she said as she placed the compress on Tails' head. "Feel better soon, Tails."

_He will certainly be fine. I'll take care of flying the plane to Central City._

"Sucks that we didn't get the data…but there'll be other days."

_There certainly will be…_

"Hey, don't worry," Rouge said with a smile. "Like you said, he'll be fine. He just pushed himself today."

_I know…_

"I guess it's like you to worry, isn't it?"

_What…do you mean?_

She shook her head, turning around in her seat and leaning back, staring at the clouds.

"It's nothing, really. Don't worry about it."

_Okay…right. It'll be a while to Central City…_

"That's fine…I could use some rest, anyways…"

* * *

"You sure about this, Sonic?"

"Yeah, I'm positive."

Sonic and Knuckles trudged through the caves of the Ice Cap Zone on Angel Island. He had left Josie at the White House along with President Conway; she had her own business to take care of as well.

"Well…here she is."

Sonic stepped into the icy cavern, his eyes resting on the girl who lay still on a cold slab of rock.

"Amy."

"Sonic, she's…you can't do much at this point, the Emeralds won't work. Even the Master Emerald won't work-"

"I know."

"You…know?"

Sonic knelt down beside Amy, taking one of her hands in his.

"Yeah."

There it was. The faintest warmth flowing though her, somehow.

She wasn't gone yet.

And if he had his say, she wouldn't be going anywhere.

"They say time waits for no man, right?"

Knuckles raised a brow at that. "Something to that effect…"

"Well…"

Sonic clutched a Chaos Emerald in his hand.

"It's a good thing I'm a hedgehog, then."

* * *

_____hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

Two of our heroes make it into the clear for the time being, but pure chaos has been unleashed down at the Pearson Labs. Eggman finds out that he was being strung along, but that just leaves another question: what exactly is the rejuvenated Ellen Pearson planning? Sonic's mission to rescue Amy certainly seems uncanny, with him seeing life in her that nobody else can. The two weeks are almost up, so what is he thinking? There's still a lot to sort out, but is this really just the end of the beginning?

**052 – Best of Seven, Part 7: Rocket Accel**

- Time winds down; Ellen and company decide to kick things off, and Shadow makes his appearance. Sonic begins his journey to save Amy Rose while the Lewis sisters track down some leads of their own. Buckle up, because when the week goes, anything goes with it.


	52. Best of Seven, Act 7: Rocket Accel

It might be that I haven't delivered everything as promised. I think we'll see. So this is the last part of this particular arc, leading into something else. You'll see what it is in a moment or two.

Tails and Rouge managed to get out of dodge in the last chapter, while the long awaited Project Izanagi came to life through Ellen and company. What repercussions this has for the world at large remains to be seen. Sonic seems to have everything figured out…what's his plan, exactly? For every answer, another question seems to arise…

* * *

**Dropkick Symphony 052.**

**Best of Seven, Part 7: Rocket Accel**

* * *

_______hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

Walking through her home, Ellen could hear the echoes of her footsteps bounce off of the walls.

The Pearson Manor was now empty, abandoned per her request. Joanna had hesitated, wanting to stay with her daughter for as long as she could. The younger girl had insisted that she leave for her own safety.

"I can't stand the thought of you getting hurt because of me."

"Ellen, I don't care what happens. I have to stay with you, otherwise...otherwise it'll be like losing you all over again. There was that one year you were away from us and...I couldn't take it," her mother said while putting on her jacket.

"Mother, this isn't the same. I'm okay now, you see?"

Joanna smiled. "Yes, I can see. You're perfectly fine...you're just as I imagined you would be. Absolutely beautiful."

"Mama...I...I don't want you to go, either. But I'm going to be doing some things that will make me an enemy of this world. I'm going to carry out Grandfather's wish."

"I know. And I want to stop you from doing that, but I can't...I don't know," she said while shaking her head. "Somehow, I can't help but encourage you to carry on, to follow the path you've chosen. It feels right somehow, even though I don't really want you to succeed because it'll mean terrible things for so many people. Dad really had all of this bitterness in his heart; I remember that so vividly about him. But even though you're carrying out his will, you're not the same. It's amazing how the same thoughts can be interpreted so differently..."

"Yes, it's quite interesting, isn't it?"

"I've always told you to chase your dreams, no matter what they would be. If this is what you want, then I know that I can't stand in your way. I hope that you change your mind with how you're going about this, but otherwise...this is your future, Ellie. So...I'm wishing you happiness."

"Thank you, Mother...that means a lot."

"We're almost finished moving everything out...is there anything...?"

"Just...one more hug?"

Joanna smiled and nodded, tears coming to her eyes as she held her daughter for the last time.

"I love you...baby, I love you so much, so come back to me soon. Do what you have to, and win or lose, just come back to me."

"I-I want...to promise you. But the things I'm doing...I..."

"Ellen..."

"I promise you that I'll come back to you, for better or for worse. Any way that I have to..."

"...Okay..."

They released each other, still holding hands until one of the guards arrived. Joanna nodded, slowly and reluctantly letting go of her daughter's hands.

Ellen watched as her mother got into a waiting car, waving once before it drove down the estate's main path.

And just like that, she was gone.

"This is...mine."

The Sun had risen to signal the next day.

Ellen opened her eyes and rolled out of her bed, one of the few left in the mansion. Walking downstairs, she spotted an amber hedgehog with long, flowing quills walking towards the front door.

"Sakura."

"Mm? Oh, it's you, Ellen."

"Are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine...just rising with the Sun, that's all."

"I see. Do you need help with anything? Want to talk?"

"...I might. I just want to sort a few things out on my own for now."

Ellen nodded. "I understand. Call me when you need me."

"I will. You take care of yourself, too."

"I will."

With a nod, Sakura opened the front door and floated upwards into the morning sky. Closing her eyes, she could feel the wind's energy as it rushed past her. She could feel so much more than she ever had before, thanks to this transformation she had experienced. Nearly every part of her had changed in some way, but the ability to 'feel' the energy of everything around her was one of the biggest changes.

And light itself had a peculiar effect, in that she felt so much more energetic than usual when she was in it. She had displayed a fraction of her ability the day before, but not everything had filtered in. The basics - the ability to fly, her super-speed, her incredible strength - she could grasp quickly enough, but everything else, the subtleties and nuances of this new form...those would probably take some time. Moments like these, flying through the crisp morning air...these definitely helped.

A large source of energy suddenly caught her attention, racing up the costal route that branched towards the Pearson Manor. It was potent...robust, if she had to say.

It belonged to the mysterious black hedgehog, Shadow. He slowed his skating to a stop as Sakura landed on the path in front.

"So, it's you."

"What do you mean?"

"Sakura Bright…I can tell from glancing at you. If it's not the strange hair that gives you away, it's that look in your eyes."

"Mm…so you know, then."

"Yes, I know. You destroyed the Pearson Labs yesterday, quite easily."

"I was just following an order, that's all. And that wasn't much of anything that I did, it was simply a test."

Shadow raised a brow. "A test? You created a sphere of energy so large that you apparently blocked out the sun itself. Then you used it to turn the G.U.N Headquarters into dust."

"As I said, I was simply following an order."

"From who? The Doctor? I know that he had control of Ellen."

Sakura gave him a smile. "I suppose you don't know."

"Don't know what?"

"He was never in control of the situation."

Shadow let out a low growl. "You mean to say that she and Luna planned that…no wonder. Now it makes sense, you destroyed the area so that nothing else could come from the data stored in the lab. Not for Eggman's sake, but for Ellen Pearson's. So I can assume that she's doing better, then."

"Better than ever."

_That means that the blonde woman isn't so involved in this...but then, what is her role, exactly? _

He stared at Sakura.

_Besides that, what's with this kind of transformation? Could this be the true form of the project that Doctor Pearson was envisioning? Ellen must have figured out her purpose, then. _

"So she's taking the lead, is she? What is her objective?"

"I don't quite know yet. She hasn't said anything to that effect."

Sakura noticed that Shadow was giving less and less away the more they talked. At a few points, she could read him easily enough by simply glancing in his direction. He must have been trained to hold himself in a neutral state when handling important matters...interesting.

A cloud started to obscure the sunlight as it shone down on the two. Sakura frowned, looking upwards at the white mass indignantly, and a faint glow came from her lavender eyes as the cloud disintegrated into nothingness. Shadow kept his stone-faced expression, but was inwardly awed by what he had seen.

_This is...complete weather control? It shouldn't be possible...but..._

"I guess my curiosity's sated for now," he said.

"Is it? If you have any more questions, you know where to find us. Take care, Agent Shadow."

"I'll be sure to, Miss Bright."

She waved and floated back into the sky, Shadow watching as she left.

"It's calm for now...but a storm is brewing."

He ran a few yards before his Air Shoes kicked in, and from there he skated back towards Station Square.

* * *

"Metal Sonic!"

Doctor Eggman had retreated to yet another hidden base...the Pearson Labs were now nothing but molecules floating in the air, if even that remained of what used to be one of the most advanced research facilities in the world.

"It wasn't enough for that blasted girl that she destroyed the journals, but she had to get rid of the laboratory as well! I can't believe this! By having her in my presence, those hedgehogs should have been eating out of my hand..."

_This entire time…I've had you in the palm of my hand, Doctor._

"To think that from the beginning...from the time she fell comatose. No, before that...she had even planned how she would make her own body fall apart. She was ten steps ahead of me at any given time...while I was trying to piece together clues and experimenting on that knucklehead Tempest, she already knew everything that there was to know."

Eggman pressed a button on one of the armrests of his chair. "The only good part of this is that my plan backfired before it could really even take shape...so many of my earlier failures would come just when it seemed like I would really succeed."

"Master."

"Finally, you've arrived. Do you still have the Chaos Emerald?"

"I do."

"Good. Make use of it and find Sonic. I want that hedgehog out of my hair once and for all. Do whatever you have to."

"Will you be sending in additional units?"

"No…you may settle your own score with Sonic as you please. I know that you've been yearning for the chance for years now."

"Mission acknowledged."

"If you run into any significant problems, or any of _those_ three hedgehogs, return immediately to base."

"Understood. Commencing mission."

Metal Sonic exited the room, leaving Eggman with his own thoughts once more.

"It seems that my little side project will have to come into play earlier than I expected. A consequence of that Pearson girl's actions, but something that I can easily handle."

* * *

It was a day earlier.

Ellen stood in front of Eggman, a smile gracing her face as she finished revealing her intentions to him.

The entire time, she had known this would happen.

"I suppose it's time that we made our way home, don't you agree?"

Turning on her heel, she started to walk towards the far end of the hangar, the three hedgehogs following suit.

"Did you _really _think it would be that simple?"

Eggman smirked as he pressed a button concealed on one of his jacket cuffs, the roof of the hangar exploding in a rolling wall of flame. An army of flying robots hovered just overhead, and behind them was an armada of flying battleships, shaped like various sea creatures.

"I had planned to use my new and improved Egg Fleet to provide us with safe passage as we planned our global takeover, but since you've obviously chosen to defy me, that won't be an option any more. Surrender or face the consequences."

Ellen ran a hand through her hair, seemingly thinking for a moment. "Mm…what shall I do, what shall I do?"

She looked over at the doctor. "That's a nice jacket you have. Mind if I borrow it?"

"Wait, what-"

In an instant, Eggman found himself on the ground, his signature jacket now being worn by the red-head as she pinned him to the floor with one foot.

"You…how?"

"All in good time, Doctor Robotnik. All in good time."

She looked towards her companions. "Luna, Steven. I'd like you both to see that Mother is okay. Please head home as quickly as you can, alright?"

"Why the hell should I do that?"

Ellen turned her head slightly, staring down the green hedgehog. "I think you'll want to do me this favour, Steven."

He felt himself flinch as her tone changed, and gulped before running out after Luna.

"Sakura…or rather…Amaterasu."

"What is it, Ellen?"

She looked upwards at the air fleet.

"Finish it. Please and thank you."

Sakura nodded, floating upwards into the sky.

"No problem…"

In an instant, she acclerated and tore through several of the E-2000 robots surrounding the area. An aura of white flame covered her body as she shot through the sky and through every obstacle in her sight. Incredible amounts of heat poured down from above as she twisted and spun through the metal objects, battleships catching fire and melting as they fell towards the Earth.

Sakura pushed away the flames from her body, rising high into the atmosphere as the clouds parted around her. She raised a single finger to the sky, a small sphere of flames rotating above it.

Ellen looked upwards, a smile on her face.

"I suppose that it's time for us to leave, hm?"

Whistling to herself, she punched through a broken machine, pulling out a Chaos Drive.

"Goodbye for now, Doctor."

She disappeared in a flash of red light. Eggman blinked before quickly composing himself, running to the far end of the lab where his Eggmobile still rested. Climbing inside of it, he raced out of the area as fast as he could.

"All units, retreat immediately! I repeat, retreat immediately!"

The ball of flame on Sakura's finger grew and grew, going from the size of a basketball to that of a blimp, and it was still growing above her head. Bright light filled the skies as the jet pilots circling the area and the soldiers on the ground looked on in awe. The clouds parted and swirled around the fireball as it grew larger still, intense waves of heat seeming to scorch the area for miles and miles around.

The phenomenon had appeared to the satellites up above, the President looking on in confusion as the news was relayed to him while he sat in the Situation Room.

"This…is my time to purge the darkness of this world. Starting with this place…"

Sakura brought her hand down.

"**Disappear.**"

The ball of flame swallowed the entirety of the Egg Fleet, reaching across the sky and torching everyone and everything within its reach. It hit the ground, swallowing up the headquarters and the ground around it before exploding in a brilliant ball of light.

Devastating waves of energy exploded outwards, swallowing up surprised military personnel in a lethal burst of heat and light. The sky itself washed out in a sea of white as the explosion grew and rumbled outwards, scorching a massive crater through the land.

Only silence followed.

* * *

The current morning started with a message.

"Wilhelmina…you'll want to see this."

Draping a towel over her shoulder, the younger of the Lewis sisters emerged from the bathroom in a soft white robe. She looked on as the picture on the flat-screen television flickered in and out of focus, flashes of a certain redhead appearing. She wore the jacket that she had 'borrowed' from the good Doctor Eggman earlier, an air of confidence written on her face.

"Ellen…she's looking better."

"Yes…she is."

"But I assume that's bad news for us. Hm. It seems like Doctor Pearson's nightmares may become reality after all. And it's all thanks to me, isn't it?"

"…You never knew."

"But I should have known something was up," she replied. "I should have known he was planning something crazy like this, with the way he spoke…"

Josie held her sister close. "It's not your fault. We'll find some way to fix this."

"Yes…of course. We will, Josie."

"_Good morning, people of planet Earth. You may or may not know me, so I'll introduce myself while everyone gets comfortable. This message is being broadcast in real time through every cellular phone, every radio and television, every internet feed and home telephone, and anything else you can think of. It is being faxed into your homes and places of business as I speak, in bold and vivid lines of text. It is in Braille underneath your fingers and in the intercoms of your subway stations. Wherever you are, I assure you that you will hear my voice and see my face._

_My name is Ellen Gwendolyn Pearson, former heiress to the Pearson family business, fortune, and general estate across five continents. I currently have severed all ties with my family and all of their employees. They are in no way, shape, or form involved in this matter nor do they have any knowledge pertaining to this event or any others, past, present, or future."_

Ellen stared intensely at her audience.

"_If I hear that any of you have been harassing my loved ones directly in any way, shape, or form, be assured that I will find you and I will end your life. I promise you this, as God is my witness."_

She settled back into a relaxed state.

"_The only one I desire to have any connection with is my grandfather, Doctor Nicholas Pearson. He worked both with the Guardian Units of Nations and the United States Department of Defense on various projects throughout his lifetime. His last…was trying to save my life. And even though it took a long time, even though he didn't get to see it happen, I'm here today because of him. I love him so dearly. _

_I…want to carry out his first dream. His dream for a better world, a better future. And I will carry out that task the best way I know how. This world…I don't know how to feel about it, except that it's filled with darkness and despair. That human beings have done so much to bring themselves down every time they rise up. There is so much wrong with this world…_

_So I've taken it upon myself to purge it of the darkness that eats at its life. With this declaration, I will become an enemy of the free world. I understood that before I made this decision. But I am no friend to any of you as a result. You may come to me with your delusions of grandeur, with your schemes and plans and movements…but I am not your goddess, nor am I your leader or your queen. This path I will walk on my own, in my own way._

_You must understand that there are no innocents in this world of ours. All us here are corrupt, all of us here are a part of this caustic cycle that we have been stuck in for so long._

_The path of destruction I will carve through this planet will serve a purpose. I will bring the light into this world that we have been missing for so long. The sky will be aglow in it, maybe in more of a violent way than you're used to. Yesterday…the destruction of the former G.U.N Headquarters on the West Coast was an act that I conceived. It was my order to obliterate Doctor Eggman's air fleet and the facilities where I was made whole again, where my grandfather's research and testing facilities lay. I take responsibility for the destruction that I have caused._

_Do not think of me as a petty terrorist. I intend to crush all who stand in my way for the sake of change, not for some ridiculous ideal or for religion or cheap fame. Understand this: I am real, and I am bringing a new era to all of you, no matter where you are._

_But I can admit when I am no longer right, and when I no longer can reasonably continue my aims. If you think you can change the tide of destiny, then I will be waiting for you. _

_Two weeks from now at sunrise…that is when I will begin my campaign in earnest. However, if you choose to attack me and my siblings before that time, we reserve the rights to defend ourselves by any means. We don't observe any international treaties that you might be able to think of._

_If you have any questions, typing my name into any search engine will provide you with many of my e-mail addresses as well social media links and other information."_

She smiled for the camera.

"_I will make a conscious effort to return as many messages as possible. This is goodbye for now, Planet Earth. We will meet again soon."_

The transmission ended, returning everyone back to their normal programs and operations as if nothing happened.

But something huge had definitely taken place.

"She's for real, isn't she?"

Wilhelmina nodded. "Izanami-no-Mikoto, he called her sometimes. The goddess of creation and death."

"Izanami…the wife of Izanagi from Japanese mythos," Josie realized. "He meant this for her…"

"From the time she first fell ill. It was an opportunity above anything else."

"I didn't think it went that far in. Do you think there's anything we can do? Any way to stop her from going through with this?"

Wilhelmina shook her head. "The only thing we can do is wait until sunrise, two weeks from now…"

"Two weeks…do you think that's enough time, 'Mina?"

The younger woman smiled. "More than enough, Jo."

Her sister smiled back. "Good. Let's do it to it."

* * *

Sonic stood at the edge of a certain lake that same morning, the sun shining down across the mountain peaks that surrounded the area. A cool breeze swept over the still lake, until a small ripple appeared in the very center of it.

_Are you ready?_

He could somehow hear her voice in his ears again.

_Yeah. I'm ready._

The rings started to multiply from the center, growing in size as the lake became more and more agitated.

He ran with the girl safely stowed in his arms as he picked up speed. A rock formation rose upwards into the sky, and he jumped onto it, beginning his ascension.

The ripples increased along the lake's surface, the clouds above parting and swirling about in a tight circle.

He ran faster still, wind whipping through his ears as he tore across the natural ramp and closer to the water far below. His eyes focused on something unseen as the swirling circle made by the clouds started to widen with each passing moment. Waves pushed outwards from the lake surface and gusts of wind swept through the grassy plains.

Reaching the edge of the ramp, a sonic boom ripped through the air as Sonic shot straight into the air, arcing high over Never Lake as the water below pushed outwards. His legs dangled in the air as he started to fall. He closed his eyes…

And opened them as his feet hit solid ground.

The glowing golden pathways sparkled with trails of glitter at every turn, winding and twisting along each other as lights flashed everywhere. Musical instruments poked out of surfaces and sounded in complex harmonies. The skyline glimmered in the background, stars shining brightly.

"Stardust Speedway," Sonic said to himself.

"I assumed that you would remember this place. I certainly have…"

That voice…

Descending from above was…Metal Sonic?

"You…! What do you want now, bolt-brain?"

"To destroy you once and for all. But it's ironic…that you hold the key to your demise in your arms."

"What…?"

And it was then that Sonic felt something stirring in his grip.

No…_someone._

"Sonic…?"

Staring back into his friend's bright green eyes, Sonic knew that he was now in over his head.

_Way _over.

* * *

_______hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ _Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgehog ~ __Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

And all of a sudden, the tables are turned yet again. Ellen's declaration of war, Eggman's intentions, and now Sonic's story has taken a rather unexpected turn. So what happens next? Well, only time will tell…that is, if time isn't all tied up itself.

**053 – Miracle Theory, Act 1: Exception**

- Determined to save Amy, Sonic walks into a challenge bigger than life itself. But what if the thing you strive to protect becomes your undoing…?


	53. Miracle Theory, Act 1: Exception

This chapter is the start of something new, a bit removed from the other things currently going on. Sonic has begun his latest mission, but things seem to be going wrong very quickly…from what he can tell.

Remember that nothing is ever as it seems.

* * *

**Dropkick Symphony 053.**

**Miracle Theory, Act 1: Exception**

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

Sonic stared into the eyes of his robot copy, trying to figure out the situation laid in front of him. He could feel himself getting nervous for some reason…was it fear? Confusion? He didn't know, and that was bothering him even more, now.

Amy Rose lay in her hero's arms, feeling shivers go down her spine. She remembered her last moments, staring blankly into Lucy's eyes as they filled with tears. There was darkness, and then a sudden burst of light. She remembered being with Sonic for a while, wiping his tears and watching him as he slept under the stars.

This feeling was unnerving, this…existence. She was supposed to be dead and gone. Everything was so surreal, so impossible in a way. The warmth of his hand against her back, the feel of his chest as it rose and fell. She was somehow alive, and more than anything, it scared her.

He gently massaged her back with his fingers, feeling her relax slightly as he looked over at his doppelganger.

"Your road ends here," Metal said in his deceptively flat and robotic tone. There were subtle bits of inflection that Sonic noticed each time, and he wondered if he was the only one who was aware of it. Maybe it had to do with their history together. He didn't know for sure, and now wasn't the best time to find out. There was that cryptic message to deal with.

Amy wondered about it herself, concluding that she was the problem and would be the one hurting Sonic in the end. A touch of sadness crept into her, and she felt herself shudder at the thought of seeing Sonic hurt in any way. She bit her lip softly, looking up at him and his serious expression.

"I've heard that before," Sonic replied.

"I'm sure that you have."

"What was with that earlier?"

"As I said, the girl will be your demise. You will have to make your choice."

"Yeah, whatever. You're not making me give her up. I came here to finish something that I started."

"Is that so…"

"Yeah, that's so," Sonic snarled back, his grip tightening around the girl in his arms. Amy felt her heart start to race but said nothing, still straining to hear what was going on.

"Then you will die here." Metal Sonic charged his enemy, jet engine firing as he pulled back a metal fist. He threw a punch that hit Sonic in the face, sending the blue hedgehog stumbling backwards. Sonic kept his balance and held on to Amy, his face stinging.

"Sonic…!"

"You seem determined to rescue her from her fate…even though you don't know if it's at all possible. Why can't you just leave this planet now? She's alive, isn't she?"

Sonic stared back at his copy silently.

"Sonic, please…I…"

"It's alright, Amy. I'm fine."

"No, it isn't…it isn't. I know that I'll be the reason for you getting hurt. I'm just dead weight, and you know it…"

"Amy, I came here to save you. I don't care about getting hurt or anything like that. I'm doing this because I…I care about you."

"…"

"Make your choice," Metal Sonic said again.

"I already have. I'm saving Amy and I'm stopping you. I don't have to choose between the two."

"So be it. You will suffer the consequences."

Metal shot past the two hedgehogs and along the winding roads of Stardust Speedway.

"Amy…can you walk?"

"I…I'm not sure. I feel…strange. But if you need me-"

"No, it's okay. I'll carry you as far as I need to. Don't worry about it."

"Y-yeah." She felt guilty for some reason. Why was that?

And there was another strange feeling inside of her. Something almost sinister. She remembered it from that moment years ago, when she had watched Sonic and Metal racing towards her, Eggman tearing up the road behind them as they came closer and closer. Sonic had stumbled after the robot had rammed into him, and she felt her heart racing with fear as the Doctor howled with laughter, the piercing laser from his machine ready to slice Sonic to bits. She remembered the cold grip of Metal Sonic's arms as he took her away that day, she remembered staring into his red eyes and feeling nothing but darkness creep into her soul.

This feeling…

"Amy?"

She looked up into her hero's eyes.

"I know you're scared. I'll make sure we both come out of this safe, okay?"

She nodded slowly, and he started to run down the glittering path ahead, cradling her in his arms. His grip tightened around her with each turn they took, a gentle rocking going with each of his long strides.

Amy closed her eyes, opening them to a wave of psychedelic colours as she stared into an unfamiliar sky. She was set down while Sonic placed a hand into the dark water that seemed to surround them. The energy started to bleed away through his fingers, and he concluded that things were the same as they always were.

Long asphalt straightaways were visible, with the body of water weaving in and out through the separations of land. Giant fans and concealed springs rested near the edges of concrete, and Sonic took note of them before looking back at Amy. He could see her confusion and the way she trembled slightly, looking into the ever-changing skies of the planet's Special Zone. It was nothing at all like what she had experienced during the events with the fake Eggmen…it somehow felt more potent, more forceful and somehow violent in nature, though not at all in a physical sense.

He turned around, taking a deep breath before starting to run. Feet pounded against the ground and took him over the watery gaps as tears in space started to open up. Purple flying objects hovered in various parts of the zone, daring the hedgehog to attack them. It had been a challenge all that time ago, that time when he was still a nervous kid and anxious about time-travel, as well as the pink hedgehog that was trapped in Robotnik's clutches. Today, he was confident and stronger than ever, no longer needing to slow to a halt as a corner approached.

The UFO casually drifted down the stretch of road, oblivious to the rolling blue ball as it kicked up dust and made a joke of the tight elbow in front of it. Sonic uncurled and angled himself before going into a basic spin attack, his instincts guiding him.

Amy watched in fascination, the vivid skies fading into the background as she watched him slice through the machine effortlessly. The metal of the UFO seemed to crinkle in the distance before it exploded, fragments turning into dust and carried away by the slight artificial breeze. He uncurled and hit solid ground, taking off again towards another target and hurdling gaps quickly. She watched as his eyes flickered from side to side, limbs tensing in anticipation.

The thing she remembered about the Special Zones was the strain from being in them. Every moment took your energy as its toll, and she guessed that the water existed to sap even more of the occupant's energies if they fell into it. A loud splash sounded, and she turned her head, feeling her heart skip a beat as Sonic heaved himself onto dry land, his fur soaking wet. He quickly whirled around before finding his next target, rushing towards it with reckless abandon. Amy looked to see a blue UFO, and almost missed it as Sonic tore the ship apart, looking much better off for it in the end. He spun around and jumped into the current of a fan, rotating in the air and right into another UFO. His feet were moving again as he hit the ground started to hunt down the rest of them.

Amy closed her eyes, opening them again to find herself back in the Stardust Speedway. Sonic rested on one knee, taking in fresh air before picking his friend up again a moment later.

"Everything okay?"

"I…I don't know."

"Are you still scared?"

She shook her head. "It's…something other than fear. Something so much darker, Sonic."

"Yeah? What do you think it is?"

"I feel despair…"

"Despair…?"

"Like I'm being swallowed up by the darkness, on the inside. I…when I look at you, I'm usually so hopeful, but now…now all I can feel is this pain in my heart, this ripping and tearing at me."

"I don't understand, Amy. Am I causing-"

"No, Sonic! It's not you…! I…" Amy bit her lip, trying to sort her thoughts. She wasn't quite sure what to feel, what to think or say at the moment. "I just...this doesn't make sense, and..."

"S'not really supposed to, I guess. Don't worry about it too much."

"You say that like it's so easy."

"You're right...I'm sorry, Amy." She froze as he said that, her thoughts starting to race off again. "I wouldn't be able to understand your feelings right now. Sorry if I...you know, seemed to be making light of it all."

"Sonic...listen, I know you didn't...mean that."

"Yeah, but I said it anyways. Sorry."

"...I...Sonic, do you know what it feels like waiting for something? Something painful that you know is coming no matter what, and you can't live without looking over your shoulder, waiting for it to strike you down?"

He shook his head. "Can't say that I do."

"This feeling…that's all I feel right now. Even just being near you is…"

"A struggle."

She was silent for a while before nodding her head slowly.

"Can you endure for…just a bit longer?"

"I don't know," she said, her voice starting to break. "I can't hold on, I can't keep going like this. I just want it all to stop."

Sonic started to run again, finding more of the Special Zones and completing them as quickly as he could. Amy was silent the entire time, watching him as he surged and fought through each new stage. They rushed through the abandoned factories of the Wacky Workbench and hopped across the platforms of Tidal Tempest.

All the while, Amy felt herself sinking deeper and deeper into her own personal hell. She couldn't explain the feeling, couldn't figure out why these thoughts of darkness and misery were taking over her. But they were, and they were doing so quickly. She was shivering, even as she burrowed herself into Sonic's chest, feeling the thumps of his heart as he continued to run and collect the Time Stones scattered across the tiny planet.

It had been several hours, and Sonic had been finding the gems at a good pace. He currently had six of them.

This deeply disturbed him.

Sonic placed his three Chaos Emeralds that he had collected while journeying weeks earlier onto the ground. Beside them, he placed the six Time Stones, glimmering with light.

"This isn't good."

"You have six of them. Aren't there seven? You're winning."

He shook his head. "No. I'm not."

His response unwittingly sent her mind into overdrive, and she started to glance around anxiously as the sky seemed to darken at a frightening pace.

"It's dark…"

He looked up at the afternoon sun, shining brightly onto the waters of the ancient zone.

"What?"

"It's…the sky's clouding over…"

He gave her a strange look, wondering what exactly was going on. She could see the black liquid starting to pour from the sky and down onto the ground. It crept towards her, and she felt its cold embrace as it started to cover her in darkness, her breaths hitching in her throat as she felt herself unable to move. She started to scream, but no sounds came from her mouth.

"Amy?"

Her head snapped towards Sonic, bathed in the Sun's warm light.

"Tell me what's wrong."

As if nothing had happened, she was back with him, back in the daylight.

"I…"

There was a burning, the same burning she felt on that day her life slipped away. It was eating away at her veins and arteries, incinerating her lungs, destroying her intestines piece by piece. She could feel herself being ripped apart-

"Ames. Hey, talk to me."

The feeling disappeared again. She stood up shakily, wanting to get away. Wanting to escape from whatever it was she was trapped in.

"Amy…?"

She saw the sleek robot enter her path, and she froze in place. The world fell away from beneath her feet. Her lips moved up and down as she struggled to speak.

The robot's red eyes stared into her soul, and she finally screamed. She screamed as she felt herself hacked to pieces, her throat crushed and bones splintered. She could feel the burning spread all over her body, could feel the blood pouring from every part of her. She could only scream as over and over again he destroyed her, only cry knowing that she-

"Amy! Amy, snap out of it!"

Only death-

"Amy!"

Only-

"Ames, please! You're scarin' me! You're really-"

-the end.

She screamed out for real, the illusion bleeding into her reality as her blood burned, the tears spilling down her face as she fell to her knees, finally broken.

"It begins."

The cold, metallic voice caught Sonic's attention.

"You…all along…**this was your goal?**"

The girl wailed louder and louder, the waters of Tidal Tempest churning and surging upwards violently. Sonic felt the world start to shake beneath his feet.

Metal Sonic stretched forth his hands, a Chaos Emerald in one, and a single Time Stone in the other.

Amy screamed as black smoke started to rise from her body, and Sonic could only look on in horror as the world around him turned and shifted into nothingness. He felt himself starting to fade, actually disappear.

He reached out for Amy.

And then there was darkness.

Sonic opened his eyes to a strange white void. He rose slowly, feeling pain rush through his body.

"Amy…?"

He called out for her, wandering slowly through his new surroundings.

"Amy! Ames! You around? Can you answer me?" He walked around for several minutes before coming to a stop. "Dammit…this is ridiculous."

"…!"

Sonic's ears twitched at the sound.

"…on…!"

"Amy?"

"Sonic…! Help me, please! Get me out!"

He looked upwards, finally seeing Amy trapped in a strange dark sphere.

"Amy?"

"Get me out, please! Hurry!" she cried frantically. "I don't want it to…to…"

"You're too late."

Metal Sonic appeared behind him, throwing a punch that sent the blue hedgehog rolling along the ground. He righted himself quickly, going into a battle stance.

"I'm gonna end this, Metal!"

"No…this is merely the beginning of your demise."

Metal Sonic's shell turned jet black as he transformed, his frame expanding into a steel skeleton that filled itself in. Massive wings expanded outwards, his form growing larger and larger. Giant hands constructed themselves out of thin air, hovering out in front of the beast as he continued to assemble himself.

Sonic stepped backwards, eyes widening as he realized what Metal Sonic was turning into.

"This again…? No, that's impossible…"

Two crimson eyes appeared on either side of the dragon-like head, sharp teeth bared and dripping with black liquid. Streaks of red cut into the monster's frame, a thick black fog streaming backwards off of it and into the distance.

"**There's nowhere for you to run, my loathsome copy.**"

"The hell are you?"

"**Within each of us lies the power to harness our own darkness and despair into true power. You should know it well enough.**"

"That doesn't explain anything."

"**I suppose that you're right. However, I did say that the girl would be your demise. Do you know what flows inside of her at this very moment?**"

"Stop playing games!" Sonic shot forward, launching himself into a spin at the metallic monster. A giant hand materialized and swatted the hedgehog away.

"**It is a point to make that there was an overload of Chaos energy inside of her body at the moment she died, mixed in with the toxins that originally destroyed her vital organs and caused her death. You could feel it, couldn't you?**"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"**You fool. We both knew that she was alive, if only incredibly faintly.**"

"…"

Metal Sonic let out a twisted laugh. "**It seems that I am correct. Let me simplify this for your puny mind, hedgehog. I knew that you would try to use the Time Stones in some way to try and revive her, either by manipulating her 'time' or manipulating the circumstances around her death. My plan was originally to use the gems to destroy you, but after realizing that you brought her along…my plans changed.**"

Sonic stood up, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.

"**Instead of trying to race you for the Time Stones, I baited you into racing yourself for them. Once you brought Amy Rose to the planet's surface, I had already won.**"

"That's a load of crap. You haven't won anything."

"**Perhaps you haven't realized it now, but that girl has latent psychic ability within her. I used that to manipulate her thoughts and feelings. It's rather…illogical, but I could not dismiss these phenomenon and their potential uses."**

"You're full of it. I'll tear you apart-"

The robot's giant hand caught Sonic, squeezing him between two of its fingers.

"Aaaaaa**aaaaaaaaaah!**"

"Sonic!" Amy screamed. "Stop it, **stop it! Let him go!**"

"**On the contrary**,"Metal Sonic continued, "**it is to my best benefit to hear your screams.**"

"No…w-why…why a-are you d-doing this…? Why do you e-enjoy t-t-thisss?"

"**Your pain, your fear and despair…they fuel this body of mine. Every moment that you cry, I grow stronger. I played with your mind like a toy, exploiting the connection you have with this 'miracle planet'. And unlike your beloved Sonic, this power cannot corrupt or destroy me. I am a superior being in every way, above the limitations of you feeble mortals! I am the Metal Overlord, the true and future ruler of all worlds.**"

"B-bastard…! You…making her cry like that…manipulating her! I'll…never…"

Sonic struggled, his eyes starting to shift in colour.

"I won't…**ever…forgive you…**"

"No…Sonic, no, please…don't…"

His quills started to turn black, and he muscled his way out of the robot's grip, grabbing the giant hand and ripping it into pieces effortlessly.

"**That's it…that's it! Look at your hero now, Amy Rose! See the monster he's become! We are one in the same! And now I'll prove to you which of us is the real Sonic!**"

Sonic only roared in response, charging Metal Sonic straight-on and leaving a trail of dark smoke in his wake. He tore effortlessly through the metal spikes thrown in his path, dodging a trail of flame from the robot's jaws.

Amy stared on helplessly, trapped and isolated. She felt herself sinking downwards with each moment the two fought.

Two…monsters…

"I…couldn't…stop him. I'm so useless…I caused this…"

Sonic dodged a floating hand, a sphere of black energy gathered around his fist.

"I didn't even listen to Sonic…he…kept telling me it would be alright, and I should have listened. I should have trusted him, but all I…did was act like a coward…"

Metal Sonic charged a sphere of black energy between his teeth.

"I hurt him again…I keep hurting him, no matter how hard I try to help out."

The two attacks shot outward, clashing and causing a spectacular explosion that tore away the sphere Amy rested in. She fell downwards, her eyes barely open.

_If I say it now…maybe if I really and truly believe that there isn't anything after this…maybe I won't be so useless…_

"I…see. This despair…I'll give into it."

She breathed in, the world around her moving in slow motion.

"I want…I want to…"

Everything started to speed up again.

She was falling, falling fast and she couldn't breathe against the air rushing by her. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess – she couldn't think, couldn't react to anything.

She had wavered; her heart had wavered because she wasn't sure of what she wanted. And her eyes closed, visions of every moment from her life flashing through her head, dancing in vivid colour as she felt her doom approaching. She could see herself dying in a million different ways, body twisting and breaking at every possible angle, and her heart sped up. She was crying, wishing, praying, trying to hold on to everything dear, wanting to scream out because…because…

And she could see the thing she wanted, finally.

She called out, her voice tearing through the white void with her desire.

"**I don't wanna die! Kowaiwa watashiwo…! Tasukete!…**_**tasukete, Sonikku!**_"

And as she came to a stop, she knew her cry had been answered. She opened her eyes, still wet with tears, but filled with happiness all the same.

"_Makasete_, Amy. No matter what happens…I'll be here for you."

"Sonic…"

The darkness bled away from his body, green eyes staring into hers. Metal Sonic laughed coldly in the distance as he watched them.

"**If you wish to die together, then so be it!**"

"That's right…together," Sonic said softly.

Amy looked up at him, confused.

"It all comes down to this…yeah."

He set her down gently, taking a runner's stance immediately.

"Sonic, wait! You…you can't fight him like this! You can't win!"

"Hmph."

He looked back at her. "Only if you say so."

And as he took off, Amy was more confused than ever. She watched as he charged the metallic monster once more, his eyes blazing with energy.

"If she doesn't believe…I'll just have to give her reason to."

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

The no-holds barred fight for the future begins. Sonic seems to be getting as cryptic as Metal…unless he's got something up his sleeve to push the match in his favour. Could it be that his trump card is…?

**054 – Miracle Theory, Act 2: For True Story**

- It's another time, and another place, but Amy Rose picks up her pen once more…


	54. Miracle Theory, Act 2: For True Story

Desperation starts to set in, and our heroes find themselves on shaky ground. Metal Sonic's power seems to grow by the second…can he even be stopped? Sonic seems to think so, but as for how he'll do it…

* * *

**Dropkick Symphony 054.**

**Miracle Theory, Act 2: For True Story**

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

_"Only if you say so."_

What could that possibly mean?

"I don't know...I don't understand!"

Amy Rose clutched her head in worry and frustration, eyes shaking with fear. That unknown, unwanted feeling clawed at her heart as she watched her hero, her Sonic rush at the jaws of the beast again. It was the Metal Overlord, but somehow different, somehow more menacing than that last time when she had gathered her anger and swirled it up with her courage, as well as her love for Sonic. She wanted to scrap him that time and felt like she could do it, but now...this was a far different story.

_"Only if you say so."_

"I...what..."

Tears started to roll down her cheeks, hot with anger. At herself, at Metal Sonic, at Sonic, at Spike, at Eggman, at herself, at herself...

Her screams choked themselves in her throat, somehow tasting bitter in her despair.

It hurt.

Everything. Hurt.

One hand moved to the front of her dress, clutching at the spot where her heart was. Where it should have been.

Contracting. Disintegrating.

Sonic twirled himself in the air and dodged another laser burst from his opponent. He hit the ground running and dodged another shot as he slugged the robot in the jaw, its head shifting only slightly as his fist dented the cold metal. He kept his fist planted in the same spot, roaring with determination as he followed straight through and finally shoved the head off to one side.

"Chew on that!"

Unamused, the machine overlord summoned one of his massive robotic hands to crush Sonic, but the blue hedgehog boosted himself forward in midair and out of reach. He slid to a stop, a cocky smirk still on his face despite the odds.

The secret of this little pocket dimension was finally out. While Metal seemed to hold all the cards, Sonic knew that he had some power of his own, no matter how small it was in comparison. Making use of it would be key to surviving and eventually winning this fight. It seemed like just another battle, just another chapter in their history despite the price of failure attached to it. Not just the fate of his world, or his universe, but the fate of all time and space hung in the balance.

Amy Rose was the saviour of all existence.

Problem was, she didn't know it yet.

Metal's power grew from her despair. At the least, if her feelings turned positive then _he _could draw on them instead, but the best possible solution would be for her to reach her full potential and end the situation herself. It wasn't as simple as telling her to believe in herself, to just go for it. No, there was more than that swirling around in her head. She could feel things that he couldn't possibly comprehend.

A tension and strange kind of terror was swarming her, mind, body and soul. He had felt it himself for a split second and felt himself ready to crack. She was so much stronger than she could possibly know, but he'd make sure she knew when this was all over. The only thing to do now was to fight, to let his world-famous ego fuel his every step for once and not worry about the consequences left over. Leave it on the floor, that was what this was.

No turning back. All manner of cliched lines could be put to use here. Just one came to mind.

"You fight, and you overcome."

Sonic again charged forward, putting his belief in those words. His enemy put up a force field that was promptly smashed through, but not without ill effect. Sonic felt himself literally beginning to melt as he slowed to a stop, his vision slowly dimming.

"You're not getting me, not like this!"

In an instant, he was back to himself, though visibly winded. Drawing on his own power had its costs, and Metal Sonic could handle them far easier than he could. Will was the basis of survival, and sooner or later he might run out...

Sonic pushed energy into the bottoms of his sneakers and attacked from behind, punching the robot in the back of the head at light-speed. Out of nowhere, a floating hand smacked into him and caught him up, crushing him to death.

Temporarily, at least.

He forced himself free, feeling the energy drain from him quickly and leaving him gasping for air. He could cheat death here, yes. But the cost again was so high...

He knew that more than anything else, he needed Amy's help. He needed her to stand up and be strong, and he knew she could do it.

"Amy!"

"S-Sonic..."

"How're you holding up?"

"I...I'm not doing so good."

"That's okay," he called back as he dodged a stream of ice crystals. "Just hang in there, and watch me, okay? I'm gonna show you that I can do this, and that we can do this. We can get ourselves out of here, okay?"

"W-we can't. It's hopeless."

"It's not hopeless, Amy. If Metal Sonic says that you're giving him strength through your misery, then just focus on the positive thoughts inside of you. Even just one will help!"

"I...It's not that easy..."

"I know, but you have to try, Amy. For both of us, okay?"

Sonic had to turn his attention from her as a wave of flame threatened to swallow him up.

"Bah! This is starting to get annoying...!"

He gathered energy in his right hand, a whirling ball of wind forming in his palm and growing with each second.

"Here it goes! **Sonic Wind!**"

The attack flew towards the flame wall and wiped it out in a torrent of wind pressure. Sonic used the new opening to rush towards Metal Sonic again. Another spiralling ball of wind appeared in his right hand, increasing in intensity as he charged.

"**Fool. Do you think your petty attacks can stop me?**"

"Maybe not my petty ones, no. But I've got something special for you, buddy."

"**You may try, but you will fail, no matter what you do.**"

Sonic smiled and threw his attack at Metal Sonic, watching as it slammed into an invisible barrier and exploded into ribbons of blue wind.

"You underestimate my arrogance, Metal."

The robot could hear his double behind him, one hand raised in the air with two fingers pointed to the sky.

"**This is my world. I am the ruler of all that you can conceive of and more. I am God.**"

"That makes it simple, then."

Energy surged through Sonic's fingers.

"If you're God, then I'll just have to cut you down."

"**You are nothing!**"

"Wrong as usual."

Sonic brought his arm down, a flash of light appearing briefly in front of Metal Sonic before disappearing. The machine's frame creaked and groaned as it split cleanly apart in two directions, insides perfectly intact as black liquid floated in the air.

"I am, and always have been better than you, bolt-brain."

"**Howwwwww…can you…do this…to meeeeeeeeeeee…**"

Sonic landed on the ground, watching as the two halves of Metal Sonic started to fall away from each other.

"As long as I believe in myself…I can do anything. All you are is a nobody, Metal. That's why you'll never win."

"**I…youuuuuu…**"

"Shadow told me that the Eclipse Cannon could pierce stars. So I decided to do a little better than that. Rather than piercin' 'em…might do well to split 'em in two. That little move was my Star Splitter. Crazy, huh?"

"**You won't get away with this…you won't…!**"

"I already have," Sonic said as he turned and walked away. "I'll play with you some other time…"

"Sonic…"

He reached the shaking girl, who was resting on her knees. His hands touched her shoulders gently.

"It's over. I beat him, Amy. Believe me…it's done."

She felt her heart lighten a little bit, and she looked up into his eyes. They were reassuring, if only a little bit so. She wanted to believe in him, in his words. She had seen him fight and win, with his own will and strength.

But somehow…something…

"I…Sonic…I don't…"

"Easy. Let's find a way out of here, okay?"

"No, you don't understand," she pleaded. "I can feel…something…I don't know what, but it's something. It doesn't feel right, it hurts."

"Amy?"

"Sonic…I…"

His ears twitched suddenly, and he saw a wall of black light threaten to consume them both. There wasn't anywhere to run anymore, he realized. She screamed, and he held her tightly in his arms, ready to endure whatever came their way.

The darkness slammed into him, and he clenched his teeth as he choked back the screams that he wanted so desperately to let out. But for her sake, he couldn't do it…he had to protect her in every way he possibly could, he had to be her hero and give her something to hold on to…

Did he? Was this something he had to do?

_Yes._

Why?

_Amy is my friend._

Was that the reason…? Or…

_Or what?_

Something more was there, wasn't it?

_You're right, there is._

The pain drifted away, and he felt his grip loosen on her slowly.

"Are you okay, Amy?"

She could smell the blood and hear the pain in his voice. The heavy sound of his breathing and the feel of his life…slipping away?

"No…Sonic, don't leave me, okay?" She grabbed onto him, wishing and praying that he wouldn't do anything but stay with her, but she could hear the angry and bitter roars from the Metal Overlord. She knew that it was possible…it was possible that he would…

"You…"

"Sonic, I-"

"Are you...okay?"

"I'm fine! Don't worry about me, Sonic! I...are you...?"

"Can't lie to ya...I'm not feeling so hot right now," he said with a weak laugh. "That actually hurt...kinda bad, you know...?"

"It'll be okay..."

"I'm feelin' so tired...like I can't stay awake much longer..."

"No, no...you can't. You can't leave me here, Sonic. I need you. I'll always need you. Don't go," Amy pleaded.

"Hey...l-listen to me, okay? I need you to...listen close..."

"I will..."

He smiled and patted her back softly. "No matter what...you need to do one thing for me..."

"Anything..."

"Don't...ever stop believing in yourself...in what you can do, you know? I...I've always thought that you were strong in a lot of ways, Amy. You're...somethin' else..."

"Sonic!" She felt him collapse against her. "Sonic, don't...don't talk! You're wasting your energy!"

"It'll be okay, Ames. I promise, if you just keep...keep believing."

"What can I do on my own?" she asked.

"Anything...you put your mind to..."

"Sonic?"

His eyes closed slowly, and Amy could feel his body lightening against her own, a cool breeze blowing by and erasing him from existence bit by bit.

"Sonic...? This is all a dream, right? I-I'll wake up and it'll be okay, right? Right?"

She shut her eyes tight, even as he disappeared from her grip. Her tears started to run down as she felt her hands clutch at empty space, the twisted laughter of Metal Sonic ringing through her ears.

"I'm...so..."

She opened her eyes, sliding slowly to her knees.

"...useless..."

"**I wonder what I should do with you now. Shall I torment you further, or should I end your miserable existence here? Decisions, decisions...**"

_There's no point in resisting, is there? I'm...finished._

She looked up to see the Metal Overlord towering over her, black liquid from its teeth dripping down onto her dress.

_I wish I could have...done more, somehow. But that's far too much to ask..._

"**I've decided to obliterate you, Amy Rose. Then nothing will stand in my way...**"

"Nothing...I..."

_Nothing? What does that mean...? Why would he say that now?_

Amy felt something start to surge inside of her, and she finally felt that she understood Sonic's words. What he meant when she said that she could do anything she put her mind to...here, something like that wasn't simply a figure of speech...

_If I just believe..._

She stared into the blood-red eyes of Metal Sonic, her heart racing.

_I don't have anything else to lose...no, that's not right. I...want to keep the promise I made to him...to Sonic. I can't let that go. _

"If I just believe..." she whispered.

The robot's long neck extended, its jaws opened wide and ready to crush the helpless girl into dust.

"I...I won't let you..."

"**Time for you to die!**"

"No...no!" she said, her determination rising. "I won't die here! I won't!"

Amy closed her eyes as the sharp teeth started to surround her...and then suddenly stopped.

_I…I did it. I really did it…_

"**What...what is this? Impossible...**"

_No…that's what I thought, too. That's what I kept thinking, but…_

"You're wrong," Amy said, standing up. "As long as I believe in myself, nothing's impossible! **Nothing!**"

She drew her hand back. "Get lost!"

Metal Sonic was slammed backwards by an invisible force, his long neck shattering to pieces and head floating aimlessly before merging with its body again.

"**You insignificant little worm! I'll grind you into dust! What can you do without your precious Sonic?**"

"Sonic...you're right. This...I can't win without him, I need his help."

"**He's gone. Scattered to the winds, and it's your fault.**"

"He said that he..." Amy placed her hands over her heart. "He said...that no matter what, he'd be there for me...my darling Sonic..."

_If I just believe...anything is possible._

"If I just believe...my wishes will come true, won't they?"

"**I wanted to savour your demise up close, but you're becoming an irritant...now it's time for you to disappear.**" The robot overlord fired another massive burst of black light from its mouth towards Amy.

_Sonic...if you can hear me, I...I need you..._

Metal Sonic looked on in fury as the blast fanned out around the hedgehog girl, a smile appearing on her face. The energy faded, revealing Sonic standing with one hand stretched outward.

"At your service, Miss Rose," he said with a wink.

"Sonic...oh, Sonic, thank you...I mean it. If it wasn't for you-"

"Hey, it was all you, you know!" he said with a wave of his hands. "I couldn't do any of this, only you could."

"You kept on believing in me, even when I couldn't believe in myself. And I...I think we should...talk about that later."

"Sounds like a plan! Now, let's-"

"Sonic."

Amy stepped forward, her eyes blazing with anger.

"This fight...I'm going to end it myself."

Sonic flashed a nervous grin, feeling the waves of energy start to roll off of Amy. "Y-yes ma'am!"

_Talk about power...remind me not to rile her up again after this adventure!_

"I feel as if the Time Stones are going to be useful in the outcome, Sonic."

"How many you think I need, Ames?"

"Just one will do," she said calmly. As she focused herself, a pair of glimmering angel's wings appeared on her back.

"You'll need to get back to the real world..."

"Yeah."

"Sonic...be careful," she said softly.

"I will. You take care, too..."

"For you, anything. I promise I'll be careful." She snapped her fingers, creating a small portal in front of Sonic. "I think I'm getting the hang of this whole thing..."

"You're doin' fine..."

She nodded and took a deep breath in, trying to steady her shaking hands. "See you on the other side..."

"Roger that." Sonic rushed through the portal as it closed, leaving Amy and Metal Sonic alone.

"**Do you honestly think that you can stop me? You fool!**"

The robot grew even larger, two more dragon-like heads sprouting from its frame and growling in defiance.

"Think...no, I don't think I can stop you. I don't have to think about that."

Sparks shot out from her red dress as it changed to white.

"It's already been decided, you walking scrap pile. I'm taking you **down**."

* * *

Sonic landed in Collision Chaos, his eyes adjusting to the new surroundings.

Unfortunately, his new surroundings mostly consisted of identical looking robots.

"Oi...you serious?"

"It is useless to resist," one of the Metal Sonic copies droned. "You have no chance of survival..."

Sonic nodded and looked around himself, noting the thousands of copies ready to attack at once.

"Well, I guess that's that," he said with a sigh.

In no time flat, Sonic had shot over to a Metal Sonic clone and punched its head cleanly off.

"Playtime's over."

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

Amy has finally found her strength, and is ready to take on the Metal Overlord. Sonic begins his fight against what seems like impossible odds. Both will give their all, but will it be enough?

**055 – Miracle Theory, Act 3: Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned**

- Sonic and Amy take on their biggest challenge yet. For the sake of everyone and everything, it's time to go all in!


	55. Miracle Theory, Act 3: All In

Our heroes are fired up and ready to go all out. Only one question remains…will it all be enough in the end?

It's time to find out the answer.

* * *

**Dropkick Symphony 055.**

**Miracle Theory, Act 3: Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned**

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

Amy Rose soared through the nonexistent skies, dodging laser bursts as they came from the Metal Overlord some distance away. Her eyes focused on the beast ahead as she spread her wings in flight, skimming the ground with one hand as it started to glow brightly.

"**Your efforts are futile. I will squash you like the pest that you are.**"

"You can try it," she responded defiantly, dodging more attacks and closing in on her enemy.

"**Die where you stand!**"

A spear of metal shot from one of the Overlord's giant hands, impaling the girl and pinning her to the ground below. Her form disappeared and returned as a streak of light some distance away, still moving towards Metal Sonic.

"Arrogant as usual," she said as she began to speed up. One of the beast's three heads extended towards her, and she swiftly dodged its snapping jaws at high speed. She twirled and spun in the air while continuing to move forward, the glow in her hand becoming more and more intense. A stream of flame seemed to swallow her up before she burst through it with ease.

Amy opened her hand, spreading her fingers wide as space started to distort around them. She closed one eye, focusing the other on the Metal Overlord.

"Almost there."

Metal Sonic took to the air and swung its pronged tail, the metal stretching and extending freely as it sent sonic booms through the air. Amy swooped under it, dodging the attack even as it swerved back and forth towards her. The segments separated and broke apart into massive metal stars, and they raced towards the hedgehog as she flew on. She flashed a cocky grin before accelerating, diving towards the ground, and pulling up just in time to make a volley of stars miss her. Her wings glittered as she spread them wide and caught air underneath them, easily pulling off a climbing turn to shake several of the objects off her tail.

Amy then came to a stop, simply watching as the metal stars rushed towards her.

"I think you should just...disappear."

The stars stopped inches in front of her before disintegrating into nothingness. Metal Sonic swooped in from behind, intending to take her out while she was preoccupied.

"And...one."

A golden chain shot up from the ground as Amy closed in one of her thumbs, wrapping around the Metal Overlord and halting his movements.

"**What...is this foolishness?**"

"Two."

Another chain shot up and trapped the robot.

"Three."

Amy pulled in her ring finger as another chain held back Metal Sonic.

"Four."

Another wrapped itself around the center head of the beast.

"Five."

A final chain pulled the Metal Overlord to the ground as he struggled to break free.

"Game over, Metal Sonic." Amy raised her hand, a torrent of energy surging through it. She brought it down, splitting the robot's form in half before it disappeared completely.

"**Not quite.**"

"Wh-!"

Amy froze at the sound of the voice, gasping for breath as a robotic hand stuck itself through her chest. Black liquid started to spill from her body, her eyes growing heavier with each passing moment. Metal Sonic withdrew his arm, back in his original form.

"**You didn't think it would be that easy, did you? How disappointing.**"

"F-for you, m-maybe..."

"**Is that so?**"

"Y-yeah...'cause..."

The robot's head was knocked off by a hammer swing, Amy Rose standing behind him.

"I know how to play the game too, you creep."

"**Don't think you can stop me like this,**" Metal Sonic said, his severed head floating in mid-air.

"A bit too late for that. Once I have an idea in my head, I usually don't let go of it easily."

"**Your stubbornness and ignorance will be your demise.**"

"So says you. I've never put much faith in technology, anyways."

"**I will be sure to make you suffer once this comes to an end.**"

Amy strolled up to the head, grabbing it and tossing it to the ground. "You're all talk." She brought her hammer down on the head, smashing it to pieces.

"**My power is limitless.**"

"Ditto."

Amy closed her eyes as she faded into the darkness, opening them to find herself floating across from the Metal Overlord again. She spread her wings and floated backwards, assessing her new situation.

_This looks like it'll be really intense...I said I knew how to play the game, but I'm not sure how far I'm willing to go._

"Could be trouble," she said to herself.

"**All of your efforts are futile. I am the master of the past, present, and future. You are nothing but an insect to be flattened under my boots.**"

"You say that," Amy countered, "but you still haven't managed to squish me yet. You know what your problem is? _You're too slow~_"

"**Insolent little organic! I will show you true speed!**"

Amy gasped as the massive machine appeared in front of her, one of its heads moving with blinding speed to bite her head off.

"Ooh...that's fast!"

She smiled as she balanced on the central head, twirling playfully.

"But you're still too slow~ Slow, slow, slow~"

"**I will end you,**" the robot snarled.

"Sheesh." Amy flew away, looking down on Metal Sonic as she flapped her wings. "Gives new meaning to the phrase 'talking heads', doesn't it?"

"**Enough of your games.**"

The two extra heads on the Metal Overlord retracted into its frame, energy gathering into the machine's massive floating hands. Metal Sonic clapped them together, waves of energy washing over the area and past Amy as she hovered in the skies above. The robot had reverted to its original form, a golden aura swirling around it.

In a flicker of light, the setting had changed and left the two standing across from each other, on top of sprawling skyscrapers in a polluted city.

"**Did you think that this would be simple?**"

"I wasn't really thinking about that..."

Amy looked around, noting how familiar everything looked. She was already here before, wasn't she...?

"This is...Stardust Speedway? But the future...Sonic saved it, didn't he?" She shook her head. "No, this is all some kind of dream world, I remember now."

"**A dream, you say.**" Metal pointed down towards the street below, where Sonic was thrown headfirst into a window by one of the Metal Sonic clones. He was slow to get up as several of them advanced.

"S-Sonic? No...that can't be possible. It's all a trick." Amy turned angrily towards Metal Sonic. "I'll make you pay for that!"

"**I'm sure that you will.**"

She froze as he cried out in pain, one of his arms broken and limp by his side. He struggled to fight on with his good arm, quickly turning and fending off attacks from the clones as they rushed in. Amy's eyes flickered back and forth between Sonic and Metal Sonic as she tried to decide who to go after.

_This just has to be a trick...but I can't sense anything wrong. Why is that? Maybe that's the real Sonic, maybe he could die if I don't help him right now..._

"**What will you decision be? Will you stop me, or will you choose to save your precious hero's life? You don't have much time to choose, Amy Rose.**"

* * *

"Tch...never a dull moment, huh?"

Sonic ran forward into a flying kick, taking off the head of a Metal Sonic clone as it came towards him. He spun and used the body as a shield against a spin attack, then flipped over it and came down on the attacker's head with a stomp attack, shattering the frame to pieces.

He took a brief moment to look at the carnage around him. The area was littered with scrap metal and robotic limbs, damaged heads strewn about with some still sputtering and sparking. Sonic continued forward and bounced himself from a round bumper, uncurling in the air to acquire his next target. Falling quickly, he lined himself up with the next group of robots before unleashing a Sonic Boost, tearing them to pieces as a sonic boom sounded in his wake.

The blue hedgehog stopped to catch his breath for a moment, watching as more and more robots advanced from the distance. Wiping the blood from one corner of his mouth, he then cracked his knuckles and jogged towards his enemy once more. A clone ambushed him from behind, throwing a punch that sent the hero off-balance. He stumbled into another waiting fist and was bounced around before being hit with a spin attack.

Wincing at the sharp cuts across his chest, Sonic grit his teeth and ran backwards before suddenly accelerating forwards, tackling a robot in the process. The two went into a roll and tumbled down a nearby tunnel at high speed, shooting out the other side and into one of the zone's large pinball paddles. It flicked the two upwards, and they separated for a second before throwing a flurry of punches at each other as they fell towards the ground.

The clone grabbed Sonic by the neck and drove him downwards, smashing him through several of the spherical bumpers and into the grass below. His head still spinning, Sonic grabbed onto the offending arm and tore it off before smashing the robot's face in with the limb. Throwing it like a boomerang, he stunned several more of the robots before smashing them to pieces with Homing Attacks.

_Need to think of something. Won't have the juice to do this forever…_

"Wait. I've been jumping around like an idiot and had something I could use! Sheesh, get it together, Sonic…"

He looked upwards, watching as the skies of Collision Chaos turned to a blinding white.

"Oi…that ain't looking right at all. Hope Amy's alright." Reaching behind his back, Sonic produced a Time Stone and clutched it tightly. "That bucket-head was so wrapped up in himself that he didn't bother to take those off o' me. Lucky break, I guess."

The gem began to glow brightly.

"'Cause it means I can just do this all day long! You junk heaps ready? C'mon!"

The Metal Sonic clones all converged on Sonic, who simply flashed a cocky grin as he stood in place.

"Nothin' to it. **Time Break!**"

* * *

_Where am I? Why do I feel so...strange?_

Amy Rose opened her eyes slowly, feeling the cool asphalt at her back.

_I can't move. I'm all here, but I can barely move at all..._

"**Foolish. It seems that the human saying is true...love is indeed blind.**"

_Oh...I remember now. I chose to go after him...but..._

She turned her head to one side, looking at the blue hedgehog as he lay still.

"I'm sorry...I couldn't do anything. I'm so sorry, Sonic..."

"**Now it is time for you to meet your demise as well. You chose to save your object of affection instead of the world, and it has cost you dearly.**"

"I always said that...if I had to choose between the world and Sonic, I would choose him every time. That's never going to change," she said weakly.

"**Foolish.**"

"C-call it what you want…"

_This isn't very good, is it? Sonic came all the way here to save me, and now…he's gone. It's my fault. I did this to him._

_He asked me to do one thing, and I couldn't do it. I…I really hate this feeling. I hate feeling so helpless…but this will be the last time, won't it?_

Metal Sonic stood over her, raising an electrified hand to the sky.

_I was totally kicking butt before, and now all of a sudden it's like this. I'm gonna die._

_For good this time._

Dark clouds began to swirl around in the sky, rain falling hard onto the street below. Bolts of lightning streaked down towards the robot's raised hand.

_Déjà vu, right? I was in this situation before. About to lose it all, until I managed to save myself, or until Sonic saved me. _

_I'm out of whatever power I had and Sonic's not here to save me now._

_So why I do I feel so calm? Maybe I'm just ready to give in…maybe somewhere inside of myself, I realize how hopeless everything is. All this despair seems so familiar, even though I was so confident just now. Here I am, rambling with myself…it's so pointless at this stage. I said I was going to end this, said it like I meant it. Now look at me._

Metal Sonic pulled back his arm, ready to strike.

_I want to get up, so badly. I want to do this, but something won't let me. I'm trying so hard to believe, because that was supposed to make everything right…but…_

Amy let out a strained breath, feeling herself start to cry. "I couldn't even do that…"

_I wanted to be so much…I don't want it to end this way._

"I don't want to die…"

"**You don't always get what you want,**" the robot replied flatly. He brought his arm down, sending waves of electricity tearing through the asphalt below.

Metal Sonic pulled his arm from the smoking crater he had created.

"**Impossible.**"

"Maybe it ain't about what we want, Metal."

Sonic stood behind the robot, cuts and bruises all over his body as he held Amy in his arms.

"But we always get what we need in the end."

"**You…I'm fairly impressed. You managed to use a Time Stone and succeed against my creations.**"

Sonic said nothing to his nemesis, instead placing a Chaos Emerald in Amy's shaking hands.

"Close your eyes, Ames."

The girl nodded and did as she was told.

"You remember…the place where we first met?"

"Yes…"

"Think of that place really, really hard. I'll be waiting for you there, okay?"

"Sonic…! You can't-"

"Amy, please."

She was quiet again.

"I know you wanted to do this on your own, but things have changed. And I can't…if I lost you again, I wouldn't know what to do with myself."

"…"

"For me…you have to go now."

Amy opened her eyes, wiping away some of her tears. "I love you."

"…I know."

Sonic took a deep breath, feeling Amy disappear from his grip a moment later. The skies started to darken even further, and the rain was even heavier than before. Lightning flashed around the two hedgehogs as they stared each other down.

"**I see that you intend to die here.**"

Sonic again said nothing, simply bouncing from side to side and warming himself up.

"**So be it.**"

Metal charged, stabbing Sonic in the heart with lightning speed.

The blue hedgehog then faded away into nothingness, leaving the robot confused.

"**This is-**"

Sonic punched his copy in the head, sending him flying through several buildings before coming to a stop. One of them exploded into pieces as Metal Sonic came charging back, the earth splitting apart as his exhaust tore through it.

"Okay, then. Time to get this party started…"

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

Amy gets shaken up, but Sonic arrives in the nick of time to set things straight again. Now with Amy in a safe place, he's tasked with fighting a super-charged, dimension-ripping Metal Sonic. How will the Blue Blur come out on top this time, if his trump card couldn't seal the deal?

**056 – Miracle Theory, Act 4: The Last Way**

To decide everything, Sonic and Metal go head to head once more. Only one path leads to victory…and it's through one of them.


	56. Miracle Theory, Act 4: The Last Way

Apologies for the extended leave. Things haven't been agreeable. New chapter, hope you enjoy it.

The duel between the two Sonics comes to a close. Existence hangs in the balance. There aren't any options left but two.

Every move counts.

* * *

**Dropkick Symphony 056.**

**Miracle Theory, Act 4: The Last Way**

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

Sonic and Metal Sonic fought on, the planet starting to crumble around them. Their eyes locked onto each other as they threw punches and kicks swiftly. The air vibrated with sonic booms as they accelerated from one spot to another.

Metal Sonic landed a punch on Sonic's jaw, sending the blue hedgehog stumbling backwards. The robot shot forward and kneed his opponent in the stomach before he could counter, and then hammered him into the ground below. Sonic let out a grunt as he rolled away from an electrified stab, popping to his feet and delivering a spinning kick to the robot's head. He grabbed hold of his enemy's head and let out a shout as he tossed him into a nearby building.

The hedgehog caught his breath and wiped a trickle of blood from his brow. Lightning flashed around him and the sound of thunder was near deafening.

"The heck's happening to this place…?"

He was forced to duck as Metal Sonic threw an electrified punch at his head. Sonic curled into a ball and blasted forward into his opponent, sending sparks flying as they clashed. The hero rotated faster and faster, Metal Sonic seemingly doing nothing about his condition.

Realizing there was no resistance, Sonic stopped his attack and spun away, assessing the situation. Metal Sonic simply warped the space around himself to get rid of the damage Sonic's attack had caused.

_Right. Almost forgot he could do that…_

Sonic cracked his neck. "This is gonna be a long day."

"**Hm. How futile.**"

"Oh, for the…will you shut _up_ with the cheesy-ass villain quotes?"

"**All your banter is meaningless. You lose, hero.**"

"Yeah, whatever."

"**Look around you. The planet is falling to pieces.**"

Sonic rolled his eyes. "Thank you, Captain Obvious. Lemme guess, you're going to say that I'm screwed either way if Little Planet turns to dust, am I right?"

"…"

"Although," he said with a hand under his chin, "what would you get out of the planet collapsing…?"

Sonic eyed the robot carefully, trying to guess what the scheme was. Nothing immediately came to mind. What exactly was this all about? Why was the planet starting to fall apart in the first place? It hadn't happened the other times, not even that one time with Eggman taking it so suddenly…

"Not much time to think about it. Gonna have to multitask," Sonic said as he charged at his copy. Metal Sonic simply dodged the spinning blue ball as it came at him, and easily blocked a flying punch as Sonic came back around. He vanished into thin air and appeared behind Sonic, slamming his palm into the hedgehog's back and flooding it with electricity. Sonic grit his teeth as his copy kneed him in the face, sending him tumbling along the ground before he regained his footing. The electricity made his limbs twitch as he struggled to stand up.

_That was the perfect moment to end it…you're just toying with me now. Is that it?_

"**As I said before…you lose. Give up, there is nothing you can do. If you surrender, I will make your end painless…and I will leave the girl alone. She has served her purpose for now.**"

Sonic spit out a piece of tooth. "Getting cocky, Metal…ain't like any assassin robot I've ever seen."

_Served her purpose…? Bastard…treating Amy like she's just some object…!_

"I'll make you regret not ending it sooner."

"**Come and try it.**"

Sonic tensed his muscles before shooting forward at full speed. He braked and drifted to one side, leaving several afterimages in his wake. Metal Sonic attacked, but ended up missing and leaving himself wide open. Sonic bounced off of a nearby wall and into the air, a whirling ball of wind gathering in his right hand.

"You asked for it, bucket-head."

With lightning speed, Sonic slammed the attack into the top of Metal Sonic's head. A whirling blue vortex formed around the two, but somehow the robot still stood tall.

"You have got to be _kidding_ me!"

Metal Sonic gathered a sphere of black energy in his own palm, and slammed it into Sonic before he could react in time. The attack sent Sonic rocketing upwards into the clouds, where it exploded in a cutting torrent of energy. He screamed out in pain as he felt himself being torn apart, the energies lashing at every part of his body.

The robot watched as his copy fell from the skies, landing with a muffled thump in the distance.

Sonic slowly rolled over in his crater, his blue fur peppered with scorch marks. He coughed up blood and managed to get himself to one knee as Metal Sonic approached.

"**For your sake, I hope you don't plan to continue. Give up now… it will save us both the trouble.**"

"Trouble…I thought you liked making me suffer…"

"**That can wait a while longer.**"

"Yeah…don't think so." Sonic reached behind his back, but Metal Sonic raced forward to grab his arm.

"**Planning to use the Chaos Emerald, I see.**"

"Try again. **Time Break!**"

Time started to slow down, and Sonic wrenched himself free of the robot. He felt his back hit something solid.

"**Very well. I suppose we'll end it here.**"

"There's…n-"

"**I'm disappointed. I hoped you would last long enough to see my new world come to fruition, but I suppose that it wasn't meant to be.**"

Sonic slowly looked downward, noticing the robotic arm sticking out of his chest.

"...Oh."

The robot promptly kicked him away, his body twisting and turning like a rag doll before coming to a stop. Sonic felt dazed and disoriented; blood was leaking from his chest slowly and starting to pool around him.

_I can't even feel anything. Even so…if I don't move I'm probably in trouble. _

Sonic slowly turned himself over, gritting his teeth in pain. His body felt like it was on fire and losing energy by the second. Managing to focus, he grasped a Chaos Emerald and siphoned off some of its energy. The gaping wound started to close slowly, Sonic hacking up blood and spitting it into the ground.

_I don't even get it. He's…content with this. He's just playing with me. I hate this…_

"Come on…what are you waiting for?" Sonic muttered. He felt himself return to full strength, but watched the robot suspiciously.

"I might as well use the opportunity, then." He focused for a few more seconds, using the Chaos Emerald to flood his body with energy. Sonic then shot forward in a streak of bright blue, missing Metal Sonic's head with a punch. He then followed with a fast kick, but was blocked and flipped over in the air. Sonic spun and landed on his feet, a whirling sphere of wind appearing in his right hand.

"**This again? You fool…**"

"Just watch…!"

Sonic threw himself into a spin attack as he released his Sonic Wind, the burst of energy rotating around his form as he shot forward. The earth tore apart under the pressure of his movement, and sparks flew as he slammed into Metal Sonic.

_Let's see how you deal with this one!_

* * *

Amy opened her eyes, slowly pushing herself up. She could smell the fresh grass beneath her, along with the sweet scent of flowers nearby.

A strong wind was blowing past her, and she turned her head towards the shining light in the sky. That was…

"Little Planet…?"

She rose to her feet, staring in awe at the planet as time and space started to physically arc around its surface.

"Sonic…please, tell me he's out of there. He just has to be safe."

Bolts of lightning shot outwards from the strange barrier that now surrounded the planet, tearing through rock formations and sending waves across Never Lake.

"He has to be safe…"

Amy felt her heart speeding up in panic. If he was safe, he would be here by now…but he wasn't. He wasn't safe yet. He still had to deal with Metal Sonic. Metal Sonic was immortal now. Sonic…he wasn't.

He could be hurt.

He could be dying.

He could be…could have been…

"Where are you…?"

* * *

"**Your time is nearly up, you insufferable sack of flesh.**"

Sonic spit out blood again, and he wiped dirt out of his eyes. "Stuff it. You've been saying that forever." He looked around the planet, and noted that it seemed to be fading in and out of existence. Was Metal Sonic trying to force them back to that white void again? Why would he wait until now?

_Something's clearly not right, and that's obvious enough. So what is that something?_

The skies above were changing colour constantly, and the clouds were rotating in one large circle against them. Unnatural for sure, but not anything that was out of the realm of possibility here before all these events happened.

Metal Sonic was still biding his time, waiting for something to happen. He folded his arms across his chest, staring into the distance. Sonic fought the urge to attack; he knew that it was pointless to try and beat him using any kind of force. Either the robot shrugged it off or made the damage disappear in an instant. He also seemed to be getting stronger as time passed. Sonic first thought it was because of his fatigue, but the Chaos Emeralds boosted his last few attacks, and they were becoming less and less effective…

A flash of lightning illuminated a structure in the distance.

"Wait a second…that…"

It was a large Ferris wheel, with Eggman's face plastered clearly on one side. He had seen it before, the first time he was on the planet, and the first time that he met Metal Sonic. Sonic remembered that entire race with his copy years ago.

_That wasn't in the present…that was in one of the bad futures._

Sonic looked around himself.

The part of Stardust Speedway that he was in…it was the present time. He knew that much from what had happened. And when he had saved Amy, they were in the future time. When he started to fight Metal Sonic, it had moved back to the present time.

If the planet fell apart…

"Dreams and reality…!"

_But how do I even stop something like that? What could I do? Come on…think…_

Time Stones. Those had to be the key. Gathering all seven could set everything back to normal, but he only had six.

Metal Sonic had the last one.

"And he's not going to draw it out for me so easily, is he?" Sonic muttered. The asphalt was cracking underneath his feet. "There really isn't any time…but maybe…"

Sonic grasped a Chaos Emerald in his hands, focusing as the Time Stones started to rotate around his body.

"I'll have to get a bit reckless…"

_The Chaos Emeralds can turn thoughts into power, right? So if I just do this, then maybe it'll just be like using a Time Stone. But I can't be sure it'll work…_

"Damn. Looks like I'll just have to go for it, then." A bright light surrounded Sonic, Metal Sonic looking on.

"**This kind of power…I won't allow it!**"

The robot charged, appearing in front of Sonic in an instant.

"**The end.**"

"Chaos…**Control!**"

Metal Sonic shattered his copy's jaw with a punch, sending him flying backwards and through a building. Sonic managed to land on his feet, watching the new developments with a smile.

Then he thought for a moment, and the smile disappeared.

"Oh no…oh no, I've gotta get the Emerald-!"

An explosion of energy ripped across the small planet, sending Sonic and Metal Sonic tumbling at impossible speeds through the air. The surface was covered in a pure white light that was slowly turning pitch black with each second that passed.

"Oh, God! Oh, sweet Chaos, what've I done? Holy nuts, I screwed this up…!"

Sonic could clearly see the circle of Time Stones linked with the Chaos Emerald in the distance, but there was no way he could get to it, not flying around like this. If this kept up, then possibly the whole universe would cease to exist.

"Okay, think. I've had to have done this before, somewhere, somehow! Think, Sonic! I know that this sort of thing is taxing but if we get out of this, I swear it's mindless television for a year once we get back home! I just need an idea, brain! I _need _this!"

_Magnets._

"What…? Magnets…?"

His mind clicked. Taking hold of another Chaos Emerald, Sonic held it out in front of him.

"Here goes! **Chaos Control!**"

At a frightening speed, Sonic was pulled in a straight line back towards where the other Emerald was. He could see another figure moving in the same way.

"Metal!"

The two came from opposite directions, eyes locked onto each other. They hurdled towards the Emerald on a collision course.

"Oh, crap…this is gonna be close…"

Sonic grit his teeth, a spiralling sphere of wind forming in his free hand. Metal Sonic pulled back his own hand, pure electricity jumping off of it.

The two reached the Chaos Emerald at the same moment.

"**I won't lose...**"

"…**to you!**"

* * *

Standing in front of Never Lake, Amy clasped her hands together in prayer. The bright light from the planet washed over her in that moment…

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

The end of one story. The beginning of another.

**057 – Miracle Theory, Act 5: Live and Learn**

Destiny has been decided. True power is closer than she ever thought possible.


	57. Miracle Theory, Act 5: Live and Learn

**Dropkick Symphony 057****.**

**Miracle Theory, Act 5: Live and Learn**

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

_Is this…where is this, exactly?_

_I can see so much…the points where the world splits apart. But how? Was this what Metal Sonic was talking about? What was that word…latent ability? _

_I see, if I touch these points, then…hm._

_But I'm not sure I can even handle this kind of power…whatever it is. Does it really mean what I think it means? Am I seeing this correctly?_

_At least he's okay…my wishes came true. After he risked so much for me, it was the least I could do for him. I wish it could have been more, but…but._

_I'm not sure I understand, but I'll figure it out. I have to for the sake of those I love._

* * *

Sonic opened his eyes, feeling pain run through every part of his body.

It was a welcome sign, to say the least. It hurt, but it was a good thing. It meant that he was still alive and in one piece.

"Today's been alright," he said to himself with a smile.

The grass was soft and cool on his back, and he could see Little Planet glowing brightly in the sky. Somehow, he had beaten Metal Sonic with that last attack, driving it into the robot's head as he grabbed onto the final Chaos Emerald. Most of them had scattered again as usual, but they had served their immediate purpose. Tails had trackers for those things anyways; it wasn't an issue.

He slowly tried to move one of his arms before noticing something strange. There was some sort of fabric wrapped around different parts of his body...

"Must have been Amy..." She probably was around somewhere, but he wondered why she wasn't in the immediate area. Sonic noted the material was red, but didn't think much of it as he searched for his friend in the nearby forest.

"Amy! Amy, where'd you go? Ow...don't want to walk around too much right now," Sonic said to himself.

"I'm here!"

"Hey! What's up, why're you hiding on me all of a sudden?"

"N-no reason."

"So why can't I see you right now? I just wanted to...eh?" Sonic took another look at the cloth on his arms, shaking his head with a smile. "Tell me where you are, Amy. I swear I won't look."

"...Keep walking forward."

He did so until he reached her, leaning back against a tree trunk and sliding down to the ground. Sonic let out a sigh and closed his eyes.

"I'm glad you're okay. You scared me."

"Sorry, Ames."

"Don't be...I...I'm just happy that you came. Now I understand what you meant that time. There isn't just one way to love someone. But I'll still chase you, Sonic. Maybe you'll change your mind one day, and I don't want to miss that moment."

"Well...I can't say I have a problem with that."

"Good...I'm really happy to hear it, Sonic."

"I appreciate the job you did patching me up, but...wasn't this your favorite dress?"

"Yeah. It was...but..." She trailed off, pressing her fingers together as she blushed.

"Hm?"

"You're my favorite guy...so it balances out," she said with a smile.

Sonic chuckled at that. "I guess that makes a lot of sense."

"Yeah..." The two sat on opposite sides of the tree trunk, resting quietly. Sonic rapped his knuckles on the wood and placed a Chaos Emerald within Amy's reach before taking a nap.

He woke up a while later.

"Amy?"

Hearing no answer, Sonic shrugged, figuring she had made her way home. He folded his arms, drifing back into sleep as the sun shone through the treetops.

* * *

"Goodness, Amy. You should be more careful with those gems."

"I know, I know. It's just that I was a little tired and so eager to get back into town and..."

"Embarrassed."

Amy saw herself blush in the nearby mirror. In her haste to get out of the forest near Little Planet, Amy went to the first place she could think of quickly. It happened to be the home of Vanilla Rabbit, longtime friend and surrogate mother of sorts. Amy was also quite close with her daughter Cream, who happened to be out picking flowers on Angel Island while Knuckles watched over her. The echidna was reluctant at first, but gave in after being reminded of the current situation.

"It's not your old dress, but..."

The girl twirled around, wearing a red dress and blouse with a large pink star running down one side of each.

"No, it's lovely. And on such short notice, too...Vanilla, you're amazing."

She smiled. "Anything for you, Amy."

"Mama, I'm home!"

Amy looked to Vanilla. "Did you...?"

"No. She doesn't know."

"How come you didn't tell her?"

"I...wanted to believe in him. He promised he was going to save you, Amy. So I put my faith in him."

Amy closed her eyes, a smile coming to her lips. "I see..."

_Sonic...you went that far for me?_

The two went down the spiralling staircase, meeting Cream and Tails at the bottom.

"Amy!"

"Cream!" The two hugged each other happily. "It's so good to see you!"

"You too! Where's Mister Sonic?"

"He's out near Little Planet, resting. He'll be back soon."

"Did you have a good time?"

"Mm...I guess you can say that," Amy said sheepishly. "It really was a life-changing experience."

"Hey, Amy."

"Heya, Tails. Cream, run along and go see your mom. She'll be happy to see you."

"Okay."

"We'll have tea together afterwards. Sound good?"

"Great!"

"Awesome! Go on, now." She turned around and gave Tails a smile. "What, not happy to see me?"

"No...it's just that..."

"Bit hard to wrap your head around."

"I...you felt so cold, and you were just lying there. And even though Sonic...he said he would..."

"He did. And it's really me, Tails."

"Hehe...yeah..." He smiled back at her, tears rolling down his cheeks. "It really is. Sorry..."

"It's alright. I know you're happy to see me." Crossing the space between them, Amy pulled him into a hug. "And I'm happy to see you, too. So happy."

He pulled away from her slowly and wiped his eyes. "There isn't much time to rest...Eggman's plan succeeded."

"They all..."

"Yeah. But Eggman was never in control. It was all Ellen's doing."

"Eh? But she was sick, wasn't she?"

"Yeah. She's all better now, though. Apparently she had decided this from the beginning...there was no other way. She let her body fall apart, risking it all on one chance."

"But the others-"

"They all wanted this, somehow. It adds up, given what Sonic did..."

Amy blinked. "Sonic...?"

"Yeah. Speaking of that, he still has to deal with Eggman for another two weeks."

"Tails, I'm-"

"I'll explain everything on the way. We're going to Central City."

"What for?"

"Shadow says he has some sort of plan in mind."

"Okay, then..." She looked up from the bottom of the staircase. "Cream! Vanilla! I'm going out with Tails, so tea will have to wait!"

Cream scampered to the top and called back. "Okay! We'll see you later, then!"

"Yes, take care, Amy. You too, Tails."

"Right!"

"Roger that. Let's go, Amy." They headed for the Tornado and their next destination.

* * *

"Eh? You serious?"

Rouge held a glass of wine in her hand, eyes wide with surprise as Shadow spoke. The group had gathered in one of the many conference rooms inside of the GUN Headquarters in Central City at the black hedgehog's request. Tails, Amy, the Chaotix group, and Rouge were present.

"Where's the hedgehog?"

"I think he might be resting somewhere," Amy said. "I wouldn't bother him if that were the case...he well deserves it after what he did."

"Hm." Shadow nodded. "I suppose you're right this time. Anyways...you did hear correctly, Rouge. We really can't do anything at this point but wait and plan our next movements."

"Why's that?"

"We have no data other than the damage from the destruction of the Pearson Labs. These opponents are complete unknowns."

"I don't see how sitting here is going to make anything better, though."

"Your leg is broken and your wings are still healing. I don't see what you can do in your state."

"Hmph."

"As for the rest of you...you need to prepare for what's about to come next. I'll be doing the same. We have less than two weeks remaining."

"Where will you be, Shadow?" Amy asked.

"Space Colony ARK. I have work to finish there."

"Work...I see." _Something tells me he's thinking of doing something risky...maybe I can get Tails to help me out with this, then._ "Also...Tails told me everything that happened after I...I guess died, if you could call it that."

"Is Metal Sonic still a threat?"

"Not right now. Sonic beat him pretty badly from what I could sense. Like literally...he won't be ready to go for a while."

"And the hedgehog?"

"Mm...he's doing pretty well, considering. Hey...wasn't Lucy supposed to be here?"

Tails looked around. "You're right. Shadow, you sent her here to deliver a message, right?"

"..."

"Maybe she got sidetracked?" Rouge asked.

"I highly doubt that," Espio said. "That girl is very determined."

"..." Shadow put two fingers to his forehead, feeling out the pulses of Chaos Energy in the area and beyond.

Suddenly, a loud crash was heard outside, and a building slid apart, cut cleanly with a diagonal slash. The streets of Central City were quickly filled with dust and debris as thick, dark clouds rolled along the surfaces.

"What the heck?!" Vector yelled in shock.

"That kind of destruction..." Espio muttered.

"Eggman?" Rouge asked.

"No. It must be them," Shadow said. "And I sense that girl's presence in the chaos."

"What are we waiting for, then? Let's go!" Amy yelled. She raced out of the room, Tails following with a worried expression and most of the Chaotix following suit. Charmy stayed behind with Rouge, who gave Shadow a thumbs up as he warped away.

* * *

Sonic opened his eyes to a blinding light. He groaned and put a hand over his face as he stood up, sensing the incredible amounts of energy coming from in front of him. He soon adjusted, and stared into a pair of lavender eyes.

"Oi...you could have picked a better time to show up, Sakura."

"...hm. Sorry about that, then."

"You've changed a fair bit. Guess those other guys have as well, huh. How's Ellen?"

"Perfectly fine."

"So that went well, then. Cool, I guess."

"You know that..."

Sonic sighed and nodded. "Yeah. I figured it'd be the case. Geez...it never ends, does it? So...what'cha here for, Sakura?"

"I figured I'd fill you in on current events. I feel that I owe you that much before we change the world in front of you."

"Yeah, yeah." Sonic flopped backwards onto the grass, hands behind his head. "I'll listen, then."

Sakura nodded, taking a seat in the soft grass herself. "I guess I'll start from the top."

* * *

_Ah, this is no good._

Lucy winced at the cut along her arm, black blood dripping down her hand. She held her sword in her teeth, staring down her opponent as the dust from earlier started to clear.

_You sure got strong all of a sudden, Luna..._

"Please...I don't want to hurt you anymore."

Luna's soft voice carried through the chaos and to Lucy's ears. The olive hedgehog dropped the sword from her mouth and into her free hand, twirling it once before taking a stance.

"I don't want to hurt you, either. But...it's come to this."

A green streak rushed towards Lucy, her grip against her blade tightening. Spike Tempest raised a fist towards her, only to be knocked away by a flash of pink and orange. Tails and Amy both stood ahead of Lucy, eyes burning with determination.

"You okay, Lucy?" Amy asked.

"Yeah...doing real good now."

"Great! We'll all take care of this together, then..."

"Time to go wild!" Mighty yelled as he charged forward.

Luna calmly put a hand on her sword grip, watching as events unfolded before her.

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

**Next: **

**058 - Junctions**


	58. Junctions

**Dropkick Symphony 058.**

**Junctions**

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

"Man! It's like trying to knock a house down with a twig!"

Mighty raised his hands in front of him again, waiting for his opponent to make another move. Spike Tempest slowly walked forward, a smug grin on his face as the streets seemed to shake under his steps. Luna Kaguya remained where she was some distance away, one hand placed on the grip of the katana on her side. She used the other hand to tie her loose quills into a bow at the back of her head.

"This guy's only gettin' stronger," Vector said. "Any suggestions, fellas?"

"We need to find a weakness in his defences," Espio said. "Quickly, if at all possible."

"I don't like the looks of that girl over there," the crocodile said while staring down Luna. "She might be up to something."

"I'll track her," Tails said from behind. "You guys focus on tackling Spike for now."

"What's the matter? Don't have what it takes to stop me? Didn't think you did, anyways," Spike mocked. "Come on, I'll even give you a free shot or two. Step right up!"

"Spike...don't get arrogant," Luna warned.

"Come on! Hit me!"

The Chaotix gave each other a look and nodded.

"He asked for it, boys. Let's give him both barrels!" Vector yelled as he puffed up his chest.

"Aw yeah! Let's go!" Mighty led the charge as Espio and Vector followed behind. The armadillo's fists glowed bright red as he neared his target.

_Chew on this, punk..._

Luna's grip tightened on her sword as Spike stood in place.

"Hehe...I wanna see what you've got. I can take it. I can take anything you little worms can throw at me! **I am a god**!"

"Not even one opening...you can't let them take even one...or else..."

Luna sprang forward in a flash, placing herself between Mighty and Spike at the last moment. Her muscles tensed as she placed one hand on her sword sheath and the other on the grip, a slight sound coming from the blade as it started to move. Espio had anticipated a movement and threw a shuriken on reflex, the weapon aimed at Luna's head. Shadow appeared in a flash behind Spike, his right hand crackling with energy as Tails fired a ball of lightning at Luna's feet.

Making a quick calculation, Luna unsheathed her sword and held it in a reverse grip, slicing through the shuriken as she jumped and took a step off of Mighty's head, causing him to stumble. Her hands changed positions as Tails' attack hit the ground below her, and she spun around and slashed in Spike's direction as both he and Shadow barely moved out of the way. With a quick flash of light, the street ahead was cut cleanly in two, a deep and narrow chasm formed where the line dividing traffic used to be.

Shadow paused for a moment in wonder before turning his attention to the task at hand. Spike lunged forward and caught Vector in his grip before tossing him like a dart through a nearby clothing store. Mighty recovered from his earlier stumble and landed a solid body blow on the green hedgehog, earning a smirk before he was punched in the side of the head viciously. Mighty stumbled to one side, trying to keep his balance as Amy stepped in front of him and barely deflected another incoming punch with her Piko Piko Hammer. She swung upwards in response, missing as Spike leaned backwards and then knocked the wind out of her with a knee to the stomach. Lucy ran in from one side, aiming to decapitate him as she swung her silver sword. Luna touched the ground and immediately crossed the gap between them, clashing blades with Lucy.

Espio decloaked himself at Luna's back, but was met by Spike who slammed a shoulder into him and sent him tumbling into an overturned car on the next block. Amy caught her second wind and raised her hammer high, slamming it into Spike and sending him to the ground. In a rage, he whirled around and grabbed her by the throat before she could react. Shadow rocketed towards her and went into a spin, using a Homing Attack on Spike's arm. He released Amy and dodged, Shadow uncurling and calling a .44 Magnum to his hands. He quickly took aim and fired at the green hedgehog, sending him sliding backwards a few feet as the now crumpled bullet fell to the asphalt.

_44-cal bullet to the chest, no damage. Wonderful._

Shadow grunted and swapped the Magnum for an assault rifle, firing it at Luna as she started to close in. She dodged each volley of bullets with poise, only changing her position when she needed to. She suddenly skipped backwards and sheathed her katana before calling to Spike.

"I think we should go. There's been enough trouble..."

"What? I'm just getting started! I'll crush these punks before they knew what hit 'em!"

"No...we shouldn't toy with them any longer. Are you prepared to take this any further?"

"Just because you've worked up the courage to speak...doesn't mean you sound any smarter, Luna!" Spike charged the group, his body glowing with green energy. "Let's go!"

"Get behind me!" Shadow yelled.

_This feeling...this energy..._

Luna nervously gripped her sword again.

_Why do I...?_

Amy slowly started forward, her eyes now a blank slate of green.

"Hey...hey, Amy! What are you doing?" Tails cried out. "Amy!"

Her hammer appeared in her hands as she continued to walk on, her mind swimming with thoughts.

"I can see them again..."

"See them...?"

Shadow turned back to Spike as he picked up speed.

"You're finished!"

"The point where it all splits apart...if I...right there..."

A chill suddenly hit Luna, and she sprang into action. Her lightning steps took her towards Spike, and she let out a yell as she drew her sword.

"I'll have to move you myself! Take this!"

"What?!"

A wave of energy came from Luna's swing, hitting Spike full-force and knocking him through a building. Amy slammed her hammer into the ground where he would have been standing...

...and in the next moment, the entire area in front of her was reduced to nothingness.

"The hell?"

"...Amy?"

Luna rushed to Spike, putting the larger hedgehog over her shoulder and starting to run. With a trembling hand on her sword, she reached into one of her pockets with her free hand and produced a Chaos Drive. Focusing on the drive's energies, she and Spike were then gone in a flash of light.

"Mother of Chaos..."

Mighty walked to the edge of the crater that Amy had made, looking on in awe at the magnitude of it. Buildings were little more than dust heaps, and the streets were nonexistent. Cars were instantly scrap and broken water mains weren't even leaking water. There was an eerie stillness coming from the ruined area.

"This doesn't make any sense," Tails said in disbelief.

"...this kind of power..."

Shadow muttered as he swept the area for any signs of life...this place was a dead zone. No energy coming from anything at all. There were no bursts of electricity, no pipes spouting water...nothing.

"Shattering the fabric of existence...to kill something...not people, but things...objects..." Shadow pondered the destruction in front of his eyes.

Lucy held on to Amy as she panted heavily, barely aware of her surroundings.

_This must be derived from her abilities...ESP perhaps...still, this is beyond anything that I could conceive._ _We might need something like that more often..._

Shadow rubbed the back of his head, looking up into the cloudy skies.

_Spike Tempest...if what I sensed was correct, then...he could become even more of a monster..._

* * *

"Is that all?"

"Yes."

Sonic lay back in the grass and closed his eyes again after listening to Sakura explain what had happened in the past while.

"So you guys are just gonna take the entire planet to task for what you believe is justice, then?"

"That's our aim."

"…So what's yours, then?"

Sakura hesitated for a split second. "Whatever Ellen's goal is. I'll follow her right to the end and beyond."

"And what happens if you get what you want?"

"We continue as usual. We can use our abilities to help this world improve in every way."

"And you're sure that there's nothing else behind this?"

"Nothing whatsoever."

Sonic nodded and hopped back onto his feet. "Fine, then."

"So…"

"Hm?"

"My offer. Rather, our offer."

"Oh, that. No, I'm fine as I am. Thanks."

Sakura rose from her kneeling position. "We both want the same things. Peace for this planet."

"I don't like your methods at all, really. And I ain't in the business of taking lives."

"Even if there's evil in the world? Even if Eggman remains free? This is an opportunity that you should be grateful for," Sakura argued.

Sonic stretched his legs. "Ya seem to think that I have some obligation to this world or some people or somethin'. It's not like that. What's in my heart tells me to do good, and that's that. All you guys are looking to do is remake the world by tearing it down like it's some shoddy house. The people here aren't just some cheap material that you can throw away and replace on a whim. These are living beings you're talking about."

"But…this world is corrupt. This is our chance to change it for the better, to make a real difference."

"Sorry. Can't say I agree with how you're gonna go about it, Sakura."

"So what will you do?"

"Make a difference in my own way."

"And what if we continue on this path that we're on? What then?"

Sonic shrugged. "Guess I'll have to knock the daylights out of you guys. Not much else I can do, I figure."

"That's foolish."

"Yep…sounds like me. Thanks for giving me the low-down, though. Appreciate it, Sakura."

"Sonic…I know that you're stubborn, but you should reconsider your decision."

He waved a hand at her. "Don't bother waiting up. I'll see you on the other side."

"Yes…I suppose so. Goodbye, Sonic."

She watched him run off, thinking about what he had said earlier.

"_You're sure there's nothing else behind this?"_

A chill went through her…she thought it was the breeze just then, but…

Why would he ask that? And why did it make her feel so uneasy?

_What's your aim, then?_

"…"

_What is it that you want, Sakura…what is it that I want…_

She shook her head and took off into the sky. Distractions, all of it. Best not to dwell on the conversation.

"I know what I'm doing and why I'm doing it. I know myself. There's nothing to fret about."

She looked back at the trail of dust Sonic had left behind him.

"Nothing at all."

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

**059 - Directions**


	59. Directions

**Dropkick Symphony 059.**

**Directions**

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

"Angel Island? What a corny name."

It was two days later. Spike Tempest stepped out of the crater he had made and walked towards the largest energy he could sense. It had to be the Master Emerald that Ellen was talking about earlier.

_"If at all possible, I'd like you to secure the Master Emerald on my behalf, Spike. Not for the energy it can generate, but for the control it would afford me over Chaos energies. It's quite a valuable tool. Expect resistance from the guardian of the Emerald. His name is Knuckles. Please do not underestimate any more opponents, I beg of you."_

He snorted. "Whatever. Knuckles, huh..."

The ground shook under his steps as he jogged towards the Emerald Shrine, waves of green energy and bursts of wind pushing back the trees as he passed. He came to a clearing and could see the giant gem perched in place. Standing at the bottom of a flight of steps was a red echidna, his arms crossed and eyes closed. The rising sun cast a glow over the island as it emerged from behind the clouds, a dull glow illuminating the open area where the two stood.

"You must be Knuckles."

"And you're Spike. Guess we finally get to meet, huh."

"Yeah. I've been told not to underestimate you, but I don't see what a god has to worry about here."

"I've tangled with gods before, both actual and self-proclaimed." Knuckles shifted his weight slightly. "As far as I'm concerned, you're just another one on my list."

"Tch. Let's see how you hold up, then..."

A green aura started to roll off of Spike's body like flame, his arm muscles bulging with energy. Knuckles opened his eyes and took a battle stance, fists raised in front of him.

"Guess I should stick to the plan, then. Sonic, I don't know how you keep getting it right, but thanks."

"Here I come, echidna!"

_Alright, here we go!_

* * *

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this call, Sonic?"

A day earlier, Knuckles was flying over the Hydrocity Zone on his routine patrol of the island.

"Just wanted to say hey, Red. Hope that's not a problem."

"That's fine...but I assume you've called for more than that. Heard your trip went well."

"Yeah, a few scares here and there, but it turned out okay. Amy should be with the others in Central City."

Knuckles had many questions, but decided they could wait until later. It'd probably be a long explanation, anyways.

"That place turned into a war zone earlier."

"So I heard. That's kinda why I'm calling."

"What's up, then?"

Sonic was silent a moment. "I need to you to do something for me. I'm trying to keep us a step ahead of the pack."

"Yeah?"

"You won't like it."

"..."

Knuckles was a bit wary now.

"I need you to...well..."

"Out with it, Sonic."

"Can you just...break apart the Master Emerald again? Like...shatter it."

"..."

"Red?"

"...you're right. I don't like it one bit."

"Hear me out, okay?"

"I'm listening."

"I know it's a lot of work to find all those pieces again, so I got some extra bodies. Vanilla an' Cream would be helping out. Trust me on this one, Knux. I wouldn't ask you to do something so drastic if I didn't have a reason."

"You need to explain, Sonic." Knuckles landed at the Emerald Shrine, looking up at the Master Emerald as he spoke. "What would make you come up with something so ridiculous?"

"Alright, alright. Look at it like this. There's all sorts of chaos going on down on th' surface, right?"

"Right."

"We've got three teams. Ours, Eggman's, and Ellen's."

"Okay."

"You're up there alone mostly, right? What if something happens to you in this situation?"

"Emerald's up for grabs, I guess."

"Exactly."

"And breaking it apart means that nobody can use it in its full capacity until it gets put back together. So essentially, you're looking to get some kind of stalemate happening."

"Right."

"You think that Ellen...?"

"Girl's hella smart, Red."

"You make a good point." Knuckles paused a moment to give the idea more thought. "We shouldn't take any chances...you've sold me with your plan."

"Sweet! Thanks a bunch, Knuckles."

"You owe me."

"Lunch on me next meet-up."

"Deal."

"Alright...I have a feeling that this one guy, Spike Tempest is gonna show. He's cocky, but he's got reason for it...Shadow's thinking that he's got some kind of thing going on with his power."

"Yeah?"

"He said that he felt it rising constantly. No matter what happened, his power kept going up and up and up somehow. It doesn't mean that he's got a bottomless pit of energy, but his battle strength is really hard to diminish, if at all. Shadow thinks eventually we won't be able to put a dent on him as we are...he's got something in mind, but he's going to the ARK to make it happen."

"That doesn't exactly sound pleasant, Sonic."

"I know. I'll-"

"Don't bother. You have important things to deal with on your end. I'll be able to handle him."

"You're sure, now."

"Positive."

"...okay, then. Just be cautious, Red."

"Yeah. I'll call you if I change my mind, alright?"

"I won't wait up, then. Take care, man."

"Yeah."

Knuckles pressed a button on his wrist communicator, ending the call.

_Unlimited battle power...of all the crazy things to happen. Guess this won't be a walk in the park, then._

"Hmph."

Knuckles sat in front of the Master Emerald, beginning his meditations.

"I'll have to wait until the time comes. I'll be ready."

* * *

The sun had just started to rise over Station Square.

Amy sensed that something was amiss and rolled out of bed, not bothering to fix herself up as she walked towards the guest room.

"Empty."

With a yawn, she headed towards the front door and stepped outside, walking towards the olive hedgehog sitting crosslegged on the front lawn. She took a seat and leaned her head on the other girl's shoulder.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"No."

"How many nights, Lucy?"

"It's...been a few."

"Are you still worried about me?"

"A little...but it's everything."

"Hm. I understand. Hey...I'm right here."

"...thank you."

"Nothing to thank me for, right?" She took Lucy's hand in her own. "I know that I mean a lot to you, and you mean a lot to me too, now. It's all kinda weird, thinking about it."

"That's true. I...learned a lot from you. The older you."

"I see. How was I in that time, again? Like...what was the feeling?"

Lucy let the cold breeze wash over her before she spoke. "Her eyes had this focus to them. As if she had known things beyond us all. But she was warm, like you are. Maybe even moreso...all of those experiences from that future were a part of her. Loss and pain and regret...but your hearts were the same, through and through. Your soul is...bright."

"Bright?"

"It...I can just see everything clearly because of you."

"Heh."

"Hm?"

"Seems like I should be learning a lot from you, Lucy. You're the wise one."

She shook her head. "I'm still learning from you each day, Amy."

"..."

Amy lifted her head and looked into her friend's lavender eyes. "Lucy?"

"Yes?"

"I...when you asked me what that power was from the other day..."

"You said you couldn't explain it too well. I was worried because you were so exhausted."

"Yes, that's right. I think...I can tell you what I know now."

Lucy nodded. "That's fine. Just take your time."

"When I used that ability...I kind of shut down. But if I didn't, I would lose my mind. I can see the points where the world splits apart, Lucy. Those points where everything in existence collapses if you break that one point in time and space. Everything becomes...I guess, finite. Vulnerable. And I can...I can see what death is. What it means to have something die and to be able to kill something, anything that exists in this world. My mind has to shut down because if it didn't...I would have to comprehend death itself."

"Comprehend...death?"

"It's not something that you can try to understand. I...felt myself losing it when I tried. I tried to take control of myself while this power was in me, but once it starts...once it starts, you end up trying to comprehend things beyond your understanding. Lucy...I saw and felt things that I couldn't begin to explain to you. No matter how hard I try or how many words I use...I can't..." She shook her head.

"Amy, don't push yourself."

"Lucy...I wish I could tell you what I felt that day."

"I know. It's okay." She squeezed Amy's hand gently. "It's okay."

"I didn't mean to get all emotional, you know? But...thank you. I'm so lucky to have you, Lucy. I don't think I've told you that."

Lucy smiled. "That makes me happy..."

"Gosh, we've been mushy. Do you want breakfast?" Amy asked.

"I'll be fine for a while longer, Amy."

"Okay, then. I...think I need a few more hours of sleep." She let out a yawn as she stood up. "You're sure that you'll be okay, Lucy?"

"I'll be fine, like I said. Go and rest."

Amy nodded and kissed her friend on the cheek gently. "Whenever you need me..."

Lucy was left alone as the door shut once more. The sun had climbed higher into the sky, and Station Square was coming to life once more. A fresh burst of wind tickled her quills as she sat silently.

_I want to be ready..._

* * *

Knuckles took a few steps backwards, sizing up his opponent before he charged again. The echidna parried the green hedgehog's punch cleanly before countering with a solid body blow. He started for a follow-up but was elbowed in the chest and sent flying backwards before he regained his footing.

"Same old story."

The red echidna sported a few bruises on his body, but was otherwise still in the game. He had been more successful than he thought he would be against Spike...despite his strength, he noticed that he wasn't much of a fighter at all. His reflexes were sharp, and his strength was incredible...all that aside, he was reacting purely on instinct. While it didn't hinder him in the least, he couldn't gain any sort of advantage against his opponent as he was.

He could shrug off damage, though. That was what frustrated Knuckles the most at this point.

Spike rushed Knuckles again, throwing a wild punch that missed and split open the ground below him. Knuckles charged an attack, but thought better of it and settled for an uppercut to the stomach. Spike shrugged it off quickly and threw an arm out on reflex; Knuckles ducked and pulled back his other fist before sending another uppercut into Spike's midsection. He jumped back to reassess the situation once more.

"I'm getting nowhere."

"I'm gonna make you regret holding back, echidna!"

"..."

_Truth be told, I'm only doing this to conserve energy. But if it's going to be like this, there's no point. He'll wear me down by just standing there._

"Need to do something...maybe..."

_I could take care of that other problem in the meantime. Worth a shot._

Knuckles took off towards the Master Emerald, Spike giving chase quickly.

"Almost..."

He shot up the steps of the Emerald Shrine and hopped on top of the giant emerald. Spike came to an abrupt stop and fired a burst of wind from his mouth, sending Knuckles off-balance. He flew through the air, and Spike was already above him.

"You're dead!"

"Now!"

Knuckles reached out for the Master Emerald, touching it and concentrating his energies. He switched places with the giant gem, Spike already wound up with a spiral of black wind around his fist.

"What the hell?!"

He smashed through the Master Emerald with ease, the fragments floating in midair for a moment before shooting off in different directions. Trails of green light followed each piece briefly before fading away.

Spike's attack continued on and slammed into Knuckles, tossing and turning him as he hit the earth some distance away. He rose to his feet slowly, one hand on his head.

"Mission accomplished, I guess..."

"**You...!"**

The aura around Spike grew in size, and the steps of the Emerald Shrine cracked under the pressure of his energies. There was a sinister-looking black smoke that came with his heavy breaths.

"Now you've pissed me off!"

Knuckles raised his fists, but was too slow as Spike threw a straight punch to his head. He held himself steady as he slid back several feet, his head pounding with pain.

_This isn't good...guess there's only one option left._

The echidna took his battle stance once more as his vision cleared.

_Gonna have to tough it out..._

* * *

"Clear."

Josie Lewis stepped out from behind the heavy metal door, noting Wilhelmina's signal. The elder sister was wearing a normal skirt and blouse, coloured black. Her younger sister chose a hooded sweatshirt and jeans, both pitch black as well. They both carried light backpacks, toolbelts, and two pistols each as well as their personal equipment. For Josie it was a tactical shotgun, and for Wilhelmina it was her trusted combat knife.

The two wandered into the darkness ahead, weapons drawn and ready.

"See anything?" Josie asked. "My eyes aren't adjusted yet."

"I see a few computer consoles...nothing special right now."

"Alright. Keep your eyes peeled."

They searched for a while longer, eyes quickly adjusting to the dark. The room was a mess, seemingly abandoned in a hurry with papers and equipment scattered every which way. Tables and chairs had been turned over in haste.

"Got something," Josie said. Wilhelmina rushed over and illuminated the spot with the flashlight on her gun.

"That looks like piercing damage...and a fair bit of blood."

"Ideas on what did it?" Wilhelmina asked.

"Nothing I can think of...strange as hell."

"Hm."

A broken piece of glass fell to the floor some distance away. The stale air from before started to feel different to the girls.

"'Mina..."

"Yeah." Standing back to back, the sisters both drew their guns and scanned the area around them.

"You hear that? That kind of movement..."

Wilhelmina focused on the sound, and soon understood what her sister meant. "Yes..."

"Hold on a moment."

"Josie?"

"Hold on. I'm going to do something."

She did as she was asked, and Josie stepped towards the first sound she picked up, gripping her pistol tightly. As she heard another sound, she somehow knew...

"Wilhelmina! Down!"

The woman dropped to the carpeted floor as something shot through the dark towards her...

"Josie!"

...and pierced right through her sister's chest.

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

As the adventure continues, the Lewis sisters find themselves facing the terrors that lurk in the dark. The advance begins for Ellen Pearson and her siblings, but what of Eggman? Shadow seeks something aboard the ARK, where many painful memories lie...Lucy seeks the strength to protect her precious friends...and Sonic has planned ahead, so what might he be thinking this time? Does Amy dare try to understand her fearsome new abilities? All of these questions will be answered eventually...but for now, the fate of the world remains undecided.

* * *

**060 - Supporting Me (Bio Hazard Mix) **

Shadow begins his mission aboard the Space Colony ARK, but just what is he looking for? And why there in the first place?


	60. Supporting Me (Bio Hazard Mix)

**Dropkick Symphony 060.**

**Supporting Me (Bio Hazard Mix) **

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

_Look at all of the stars...I want to reach out and touch them. Maybe one day, I could. After I go to Earth and grow up a little more, I could become a space traveller. You could come with me, and we could have a picnic on the way out, you know? It would be so much fun! _

_..._

_I wish I wasn't so sick all of the time. Grandfather says that a cure is coming, and I know he's been working hard...but..._

_..._

_I'm so impatient. But at least I have you..._

_Are you glad to have me?_

_..._

_If I don't make it...I know, I know I shouldn't be so morbid, but give me a chance..._

_If I don't make it through this...promise me..._

_Promise me this one thing..._

* * *

Footsteps echoed off of the walls of the space colony. The first and most advanced structure of its kind, ARK had been shut down over 50 years ago after an incident had occured, killing all of the occupants. It turned out that the 'incident' was nothing more than a cover story to hide the massacre that had taken place at that time in order to put an end to Project Shadow, Gerald Robotnik's ambition to create the ultimate lifeform. The Professor had only agreed because it might have led to a cure for his granddaughter, Maria Robotnik. She had been diagnosed with Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome, or NIDS, which was completely uncurable at the time.

The project had produced a failed prototype and the being now known as Shadow the Hedgehog. Gerald had made a shady dealing with Black Doom, an alien tyrant who desired the Chaos Emeralds. In the time that had passed, Shadow had witnessed the death of the first person he came to love, nearly oversaw the destruction of Earth twice, and finally came to understand his past and his purpose. And yet, even though he had said he would put his past behind him...those old wounds always came back to sting him, somehow.

"I guess I can't run away from this forever, huh..."

Those walls still seemed as stable as ever, lights flashing on and off periodically. He walked down a now barren hallway, looking down and noticing the shoe marks from fifty years earlier. There were a few coffee stains here and there, and a loose sheet of paper ahead. Shadow picked it up for a moment. He couldn't read the handwriting that was on it, so he set it back in its place and moved on.

Coming to a junction, he took the next right and felt a wave of nostalgia wash over him. This was the route he and Maria took whenever she had to do any tests. They were frequent, and they sometimes scared her. Gerald had asked him to escort her to her checkups as time passed. He didn't understand why at first, but since he was with Maria, he thought nothing of it.

Maria returned the favour, though he wasn't at all scared by the experiments he had to go through. She seemed quite fascinated by what he had to do, and remarked that she wanted to do the same one day. The girl was frail, with pale skin and bright blonde hair. But she carried a strange kind of strength. Her movements were filled with confidence. She loved music and loved to dance, even as it tired her out quickly.

She loved life.

Shadow paused for a moment, letting the memories filter through him again. The lights dimmed as he went on before seeming to spring back to life all at once. The last stretch before his destination was illuminated brightly, with no marks on any of the walls or floors. He reached an open door at the end of the hall, and walked inside to see a vast laboratory filled with running equipment. A single bed was in the center of the room, surrounded by a transparent wall with computer stations outside of it. Pulses of light raced along the floor and towards sets of large black towers that were lined up in a row. In one corner of the room were racks of protective suits, used regularly by the people who worked in the area. A small red suit stood out among the rest.

He walked towards the main computer and brought it out of its slumber. After that, he went towards a large steel door on the other side of the room, near the clear windows that gave an amazing view of the stars beyond as the colony made its rounds. Shadow focused on the clicks of the old lock and cracked the combination quickly, turning the large black wheel nearby and pulling the large handle to open the freezer.

"Probably still fresh," he said to himself. The freezer was massive and extremely cold - Shadow could feel his fur starting to stiffen in the first few seconds as he entered. Everything had presumably been cleaned out...but he knew...

Shadow kept walking until he reached an empty shelf in the very rear. Running his hand against the wall, he felt something give way and pushed on a hidden panel. The section to his right swung open, and he grabbed a small black box before leaving and closing the large steel door shut once more.

"That's done with."

Putting down the box, he wiped frost off of a small panel on the front and punched in a code on the keypad provided.

"Five...two...seven...four...two."

With a hiss and a burst of smoke, the box automatically opened. Shadow smiled and shook his head.

"You never did change, Gerald. So...I guess this is it, then."

Two vials of blood were cradled inside of the box, each monitored closely with small devices of their own. Shadow carried the box over to another machine, inserting the vials into the two slots provided. He took a deep breath before setting the box down and walking over to the medical bed in the center of the room.

"Initiate routines," he said out loud as he cracked his neck.

"Routines initiated," a voice called back. "Five minutes to final systems check."

Shadow contemplated his decision for a moment before shaking his head. In order to fulfill his promise to her...he had to do this. There wasn't any other option at this point. No turning back now.

Unbeknownst to the black hedgehog, a shadow had crept onto ARK behind him, and was now watching him intently.

* * *

"I say, we've been making good time on this trip! You are quite the driver, madam."

"Thank you very much, Professor. I took some lessons in my spare time from Tails."

"Ah, yes. The lad is an expert on machinery, after all."

A Humvee raced across the Sahara Desert at the time, tracking a fragment of the Master Emerald that had landed in the region. Vanilla Rabbit had taken the wheel, dark sunglasses over her eyes as she rolled across the desert sands. In the back seat were Cream and Cheese, the former sipping from a bottle of water slowly. Professor Pickle was in the passenger's seat, his help enlisted by Sonic and Tails as the hunt for the Emerald shards began.

"Not much further now. About five hundred meters, straight ahead," Pickle said.

"I just hope it's not too deep," Vanilla remarked. "This heat is oppressive."

"Yes, quite. Here we are, then."

Vanilla eased the vehicle to a stop, and Cream fished out the Emerald shard from its hiding place in short order.

"Found it, Mama!"

"Good work! Professor, is the next one nearby?"

"Indeed it is, Miss Vanilla. To the northeast, I believe. The terrain is quite rough in that particular spot."

"Perfectly fine," she said with a smile. "Is everyone okay for the moment?"

"I am fine myself, thank you."

"We're super, Mama!"

"Chao!"

"Good. Let's be off, then." The four filed into the vehicle and took off for their next destination. As they did so, the sky began to darken.

"It's gotten a bit cloudy," Pickle noted. Vanilla raised her sunglasses to look up at the formation, an unease beginning to stir within her.

"Cream, sweetheart...make a call to Mister Tails for me, okay?"

"Okay."

"Miss Vanilla? Is something the matter?"

"That weather came out of nowhere, Professor." She pushed the Humvee faster, sand rising in wakes behind it. "It's no coincidence."

"You mean to say..."

"She's here..."

"Hello? Hello, Mister Sonic! Yes, Mama thinks that there's something wrong...eh? Okay! I'll tell her! Bye!" Cream ended the call with a smile. "Mister Sonic says he'll be here in a flash!"

"What does he-"

"Yo!"

Sonic appeared in the seat right next to Cream, flashing his trademark grin. "Heard you guys needed some assistance! I'm your hedgehog, then."

"Sonic, I'm sure that Sakura Bright is up ahead," Vanilla said. "We can't do much on our own against her."

"Totally understandable. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure I can take her myself at this level."

"Level...?" Vanilla asked.

"Ah, it's nothin'. Don't worry about what I said. Anyways, if I have your permission, I'll take Cream with me."

"...if that's what you feel is right."

"No doubt about it, Vanilla." He took Cream's hand gently. "Shall we?"

"We shall," the girl said with a smile. In a burst of light, the two disappeared.

"Miss Vanilla, are you sure about letting your daughter go like that?" Pickle asked. "I can't discern what Sonic could be thinking."

"He knows what he's doing...they'll both be safe. Sonic has a way of drawing out the best in people, you see."

Sonic and Cream landed on top of a sand dune, right underneath the growing storm in the desert skies. The blue hedgehog pulled out the red Chaos Emerald he had been holding onto and placed it into Cream's hands. Cheese floated around her, confused.

"You okay, Cream?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you for asking."

"You can feel all of the energy, can't you?"

She nodded.

"What's it feel like?"

"It feels really nice and warm."

"That's good. That's real good. Now...close your eyes, okay? Focus on that feeling and let it keep growing inside of you. When the time comes, you'll know when to stop. Understand?"

"I understand. I'll do my best, Mister Sonic."

"That's my girl," he said patting her on the head. "Don't worry about anything else. Don't even worry about me, alright? Just focus."

"Right."

Sonic produced the blue Chaos Emerald next and walked towards Sakura as she descended from the clouds.

"S'pose it's about time, then."

"I suppose it is." Sakura's hands suddenly were alight in white flame. The Chaos Emerald in Sonic's hand glowed before discharging energy violently.

_I wonder what you have planned this time, Sonic..._

"Careful now, sweetheart."

Sonic flashed Sakura a grin.

"I was never a soft touch."

* * *

_hgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgehog ~ Sonic the Hedgeh_

* * *

Another day, another battle. Sonic and Cream take a shot at Sakura, while Shadow seems to be up to something as a mysterious figure looks on. The outcomes of these actions are soon to be revealed.

* * *

**061 - Supporting Me (Hope for Humanity Mix)**

There are times where we must face our terrors, no matter how much we want to run away. The test of one's resolve begins at their weakest point...


End file.
